Because of you
by YnNa13
Summary: Sesshomaru is a mysterious,handsome,overconfident 16-year-old boy who is part of a gang of bullies in school.Practically every girl in school is throwing themselves to him.But then a new student appears in his life.How will this change him?SessOC updated!
1. Prolouge

KAIKAWAII- hey this is my first fic so bear with me. I don't know if I'm gud so please review me. Flames are allowed. thanks lots hope you enjoy!Ü  
  
DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Inuyasha and his cute ears.. I would just love to 'sit' him.. I would also love to own Inu-Yasha's HOT brother Sesshoumaru.. his cold golden eyes are the bomb.. and I wish I owned Miroku's little ponytail.. but the point is I DON'T!!!  
  
Prologue-  
  
A girl sat before her mirror reflecting a twin right before her emerald eyes. She slowly brushed her coffee-colored, shoulder length hair and tied it in a high ponytail. She scanned her azure colored room. It smelled newly painted since they just moved to Tokyo a week ago.  
  
The wind touched her face as she stood up. She looked once again in the mirror and examined the young 16-year-old standing in front of her.  
  
Perfect, she thought.  
  
Then she got her school bag and swung it around her shoulder. Her lavender colored velvet slippers created such fracture with the floor that it made a loud sound not much irritating for the ears.  
  
She walked pass her wooden door and straight downstairs. But then, the thumping of her feet stopped right at the center of the stairs where there was enough space for you to make a complete turn. But instead there was an mahogany colored altar where a portrait of a young man rested. He wore a large blue-grey kimono. He stared vividly at young girl who was staring at him as well. The same olive eyes met each other.  
  
The young girl's lips gave out a small smile as she said: "Good morning father!"  
  
She picked up a fallen petal from the Sakura flowers that her mother placed in a vase. Then she placed her free hand on the covering of her late father's samurai sword.  
  
"It's my first day of school," she said still keeping the same smile on her face. "Wish me luck, papa!"  
  
With that she strolled down the stairs completely. She headed towards the kitchen where she was greeted by two familiar faces. One was a 7-year old boy sitting on a chair happily eating his cereal. He looked at his sister revealing his sapphire blue eyes.  
  
"'Morning Emiko-chan!" he said enthusiastically.  
  
"Morning to you too, Naoko!" his sister greeted back.  
  
Naoko and Emiko Ishikawa were siblings. They looked alike because of the same rosy white cheeks and charming smile. But Naoko contrasts the color of his sister's hair because his was raven black.  
  
Emiko sat on the chair at the opposite side of her brother and gleamed, "Ohayo Okaa-san!"  
  
Her mother, who was busy cooking her children's lunch turned around with a natural smile. Her dimpled slowly showing as hundreds of wrinkles came out.  
  
"Good morning Emiko-san," her mother said. Then she switched her gaze and focused back to her cooking.  
  
***  
  
Sesshomaru was riding his newly painted motor bike, the one his friends has been bugging him about. They said they didn't like the color blue that much but the amber-eyed boy didn't care. He was the most quiet in his gang. He was also the only one who kept his unemotional expression on the face which made most girls drool on him more.  
  
His short silver hair waved like a blanket of silk as he speeded away. His pale face was completely covered by his red helmet.  
  
He was now crossing one of the crowded streets of Tokyo. He kept his coolness by ignoring all the flirty girls who where showing off themselves.  
  
He looked to his right where he was supposed to make a turn. It was unusually traffic. He looked at it closer as he saw a car accident.  
  
Ooo, he thought. That's bad.  
  
His eyes were both stuck on the accident, he didn't notice the stoplight go red.  
  
As he turned his gaze to the road in front of him, he quickly noticed that he was almost going to bump a girl!!!  
  
A/N: hey! that was short... I promise you a better and longer chapter next time. So please... please review my story so I can make some changes to make it better... remember, flames are allowed... Arigato.. Ja! 


	2. An unfriendly welcome

Hey I'm back!!! But before anything else, I'm going to warn you now. I update late so don't expect seeing another chapter every time you go on fanfiction. Though it's now summer here and we're currently on summer vacation, I still have my badminton, basketball, swimming and creative writing classes everyday so I'm really busy. But hope my late updating will not cause you to stop reviewing and reading my fics.. Well, thanks for your support though. All your reviews made me smile Ü (Yeah, I too can't imagine Sesshy with short hair but to make it believable, he has to have this. But what you will not imagine is Inu-Yasha!!! hehehe!!!) Wish you guys enjoy this chappy!!! Ü R&R... kaikawaii  
  
Disclaimer: "coughs" I own Inuyasha ok... then... *get's hit on the head with a large keyboard* "No one owns me except the person who created me!!!" shouts a hanyou from behind.  
K fine *sighs* the truth is... I DON'T OWN INUYASHA OR ANY OF IT'S  
CHARACTERS!!!  
  
Because of you...  
  
Chapter 1- An unfriendly welcome  
  
Emiko felt helpless. All she could remember was walking on Crescent Avenue and then everything went black. She couldn't move nor open her eyes. She could only feel the cold wind pass through her skinny body.  
  
After a few minutes, she felt she had her energy back. Feeling that her once neatly brushed hair was now in a huge mess, she started to open her eyes. Another feeling of limpness came through her body. Then, she decided to give up. She just couldn't open her eyes. The young girl could only hear the noise of Tokyo. She heard footsteps and chattering. The deafening voices caused her to jerk a little.  
  
_______________________________  
  
Sesshomaru felt the same thing. But unfortunately, he was stronger than average humans. Feeling the cold breeze run around the ground he was lying on, he slowly opened his golden eyes.  
  
Unlike Emiko, Sesshomaru successfully did it. He scanned the surroundings still on the ground.  
  
The bright rays of the sun collided in the city. The silver haired devil slowly stood up. Bringing his weight to both his hands, he pushed himself battling with gravity. Once he got on his feet, he felt dizzy. He put his left hand on his forehead then shook his head continuously.  
  
He fixed his school uniform which happened to be a long sleeved turtle neck black shirt and matching black pants. ((I'm reminding you that this fic happens in the future so they are not in feudal Japan. Sesshomaru is currently attending a highly praised high school university that Emiko is also attending)) Not noticing what had just happened, Sesshomaru climbed on his bike and started putting on his helmet.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Sesshomaru's attention was currently on the accident happening on the street that he usually passes when going to school. He took another way not noticing that the stoplight has just turned red.  
  
On the other hand, Emiko was waiting for the pedestrian's stoplight to turn green. She was so excited to go to her new school that she was too preoccupied to notice anything else happening.  
  
Finally, she thought as the red light turned green.  
  
The young Ishikawa walked with her chin up, surprisingly humming to herself now. As she took a step nearer, her heart beat started racing.  
  
Sesshomaru started speeding again as he snapped back to reality. Just then he saw the light turn red. Seeing the pedestrian pass, he stopped abruptly causing his chest to bump the wheel. Finally, loosing balance, he fell, stomach first to the ground in front of him.  
  
Emiko glanced to her right to see speeding Sesshomaru. She stopped walking curious of what he was doing. Just then, the unknown boy's motorcycle stopped right in front of her skinny body.  
  
Not ready for the incident, Emiko dropped to her feet. Because of all the nervousness she was feeling, she fainted and dropped on the floor. Sesshomaru on the other hand was lying in front of her, unconscious as well.  
  
END OF FLASHBACK  
  
Just as Sesshomaru was back and ready to rumble, he caught sight of the unconscious girl covering his way to school.  
  
God, he said to himself mentally annoyed that this woman was sleeping in the middle of the road.  
  
He got back on his feet feeling a little dizzy. He shrugged the feeling off.  
  
He knelt down to the brunette "sleeping" in the middle of the street. He was about to carry her when he noticed his hand was bleeding badly. He also noticed several cuts on his forehead that started giving out blood as well.  
  
His hands were shaking when the young man saw his blood. Sesshomaru's family came from a long bloodline of very sensitive hearing, sight, touch and smelling. So, sniffing the scent of his own blood made him look even paler.  
  
Blood never smells good, he said to himself. Even if it's my own.  
  
He, then tried to forget the awful scent and tried to carry the girl. But when he almost laid his bloody hands to the girls white shirt, she slowly opened her eyes.  
  
Seeing gold, Emiko quickly jerked right up.  
  
"What were you doing with me, stranger?" she asked puzzled.  
  
"What do you think I was doing?" Sesshomaru answered coldly.  
  
Emiko just stared at the stranger. Sesshomaru stared at her too.  
  
Just then, Emiko noticed the blood coming from the stranger's pale face.  
  
"Don't you want to wipe that?" Emiko asked pointing at the scars.  
  
"I don't care," was the cool reply of Sesshomaru. Then he stood up and once again put his helmet on his head. He sat down leaving helpless Emiko on the ground.  
  
"Thanks a lot," she said sarcastically but Sesshomaru didn't give any sign that he heard her because he started running his engine. And at a split second, Sesshomaru rode off.  
  
What a rude man, Emiko said to herself. She was now in the school grounds. Good thing, a girl named Eri passed by. She noticed Emiko's uniform and told her to hop in her car.  
  
She took another step and then she felt butterflies in her stomach again. She stopped for a while.  
  
C'mon Emiko, you can do this, she told herself. She hated to admit it but she was now hesitating. What if this school is as bad as the last one? What if it also had very strict teachers, heartless bullies and nosy classmates?  
  
She took a deep breath. She was now standing in front of the teacher's staff room where she was appointed to go. She was about to step in when....  
  
"Oh!" someone said. "Ye must be Emiko Ishikawa, our new student."  
  
Emiko now found herself face to face with a sixty year old woman. She had long gray hair and a patched eye, like one of those pirates.  
  
"Uh," Emiko said. Once again she was uncertain. "Yes that's me."  
  
"Then what are ye doing outside the office. Come in! Come in!" the old woman said. "I am yer grade level coordinator Kaede Shimigawa!"  
  
The two entered the room to see two smiling faces. One was a man. Because of the blue tie and white polo shirt, Emiko assumed he was a teacher. His blonde hair swayed with him as he walked closer to the two girls.  
  
The other one was a woman. She had long raven black hair tied in a loose ponytail. Emiko knew she was a teacher because of her ID.  
  
"Kikyo, Ryo!" Kaede yelled as the two stepped closer. "This is yer new student Emiko Ishikawa. I believe she will be in yer class Mikami, take good care of her. Emiko, this is Mr. Ryo Mikami and Ms. Kikyo Shimigawa your Math, Science, Reading and Social Studies teachers."  
  
Emiko stared at the two happy faces and let out a smile. "Ohayo Mikami-sensei, Shimigawa-sensei!"  
  
"Ohayo Ishikawa-san!" greeted Kikyo in return.  
  
"Emiko," said Mr. Mikami in a low voice which made Emiko slightly blush. "You better come with me to class. The bell will ring any time now."  
  
So, Emiko followed her blonde sensei to her classroom not far from the staff room. It was found at the right side and was near to library too.  
  
Emiko entered the room with an unpainted face. She closed her eyes when she was already in the room standing in front of the class. She was already hearing her heart beat. Sweat poured down her forehead.  
  
It's ok Emiko, c'mon you can do this, she chanted.  
  
She held her dark black skirt tightly as she heard Mr. Mikami say: "Class, I would like you to meet a new student. Her name's Emiko Ishikawa and she's from Kyoto."  
  
"Ohayo Emiko-san!" recited the class in a sleepy manner. This made Emiko sweat more.  
  
"Emiko, would you like to say a few words?"  
  
Emiko took a deep breath and opened her eyes slowly to see twenty- nine faces in front of her. Some looked a little board but some kept a smiling face.  
  
"Hi! I'm Emiko. Glad to meet you all!"  
  
Emiko was expecting an answer but class was dead silent. She sweat dropped and simply smiled.  
  
"Ok," said Mr. Mikami finally. "You take the seat in between Sesshomaru and Inuyasha over there." He pointed at the seat between two silver haired men. Emiko almost lost her balance when she saw the same cold man seated there. He had already had a bandage surrounding his cut forehead and his bloody hands.  
  
Emiko walked between the last row and the second to the last one. She took her seat hesitantly and laid her bag beside her. She turned to her left to see a short silver haired boy just like the one she bumped into. Just then, she noticed to dog ears sprouting out of him.  
  
"Excuse me," she said shyly. "Are those real?" She slowly crept to Inu-Yasha and rubbed his left ear.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING GIRL?! THOSE ARE REAL ALRIGHT!!!!!!!" Inu-Yasha shouted only for those people near-by to hear. Emiko couldn't believe it but her seatmate had dog ears and was now purring like a cat.  
  
"What are you?" she asked windrowing her hand from his ear.  
  
"Why do you care? I don't even know you!" Inu-Yasha replied annoyed.  
  
"Sheesh!" sighed Emiko. "Just asking."  
  
Then a jet black haired girl turned from her seat which was in front of Inu-Yasha.  
  
"Sorry Emiko for his bad attitude," she said. "I'm Kagome Higurashi, this is Inu-Yasha Taishi."  
  
"Hi Kagome! And it's alright, I was rude too," Emiko admitted as she turned to her right. "Are you alright now?"  
  
Sesshomaru knew she was talking to him but simply ignored her. Emiko was irritated and decided to bug him with the same question but tried hard not to irritate Sesshomaru as well.  
  
After the 8th time, Emiko saw Sesshomaru look at her with at the corner of his eye. Then he slowly faced her with the same unemotional stare he gave her a while ago.  
  
"Leave me alone or else," he threatened and turned his gaze back to the black board. Emiko heard him curse under his breath and say something about a 'great disturbance she was going to be'.  
  
Emiko sighed feeling defeated. She admitted that this school was better than the last one, but it was still not that perfect.  
  
So much for a happy welcome, she thought sarcastically. Just hope I don't run into more of these kind of people.  
  
She put her elbow on her table and rested her chin on her hand. She listened half attentively to her teacher slowly drifting to another world...........  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: so how was that? just don't forget to review this chapter... I also want to thank my friend Blue Savege, with out her, well, um... I would not accomplish the prologue... thank a lot nikki!!!! (try to read her story too from Yu-Gi-Oh! and Beyblade... she's pretty good too...) 


	3. Gaining friends and meeting new enemies

Hey guys guess who's back and ready to rumble???!!! Yup, dats me!!! thanks for all the reviews... they really make my heart skip a beat... yeah, Sesshomaru, Kagome and Inuyasha are all the same age. But Inuyasha and Sesshy are brothers, but they're not twins. You see, Sesshomaru's mother was pregnant to him two months before Inuyasha's mother. So Sesshy is older than Inu by a month. It's possible because they have different mother's. So Inu-taishi was two timing both.  
Did that puzzle you. Hope not! just wish me good luck and hope my chapters are getting longer!!! R&R!!!  
Ükaikawaii  
  
DISCLAIMER- I DON'T OWN INUYASHA OR ANY OF IT'S WILD CHARACTERS... PERIOD!!!  
  
Because of you  
  
Chapter 2- Gaining friends and meeting new enemies  
  
It was now lunch break and Kagome invited Emiko to eat with them, though Inuyasha did not completely agree with that. They were now sitting under a tall Sakura tree found outside their main campus. Kagome was eating her double deck burger while Inuyasha was gobbling up his newly cooked Ramen.  
  
"I can't believe you Emiko," said Kagome as she took another juicy bite of her burger.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Inuyasha thinking the same as Kagome. "This kid's a real trouble-maker, getting detention on her first day of school."  
  
Emiko just laughed at the memory. She had fallen asleep on the first period when Mr. Mikami was discussing. She was soundly asleep muttering loudly, this subject's boring. Everyone in the class turned to her, some even chuckling. But Mr. Mikami woke her up without faltering. He shouted at her, one, for falling asleep, two, for muttering those words and three for getting herself in trouble on her first day of school. So he gave her an hour of detention after classes.  
  
"So," Kagome started as she switched her gaze to Emiko. "Are you doing anything tomorrow night?"  
  
"Actually," replied Emiko. "No. But I'll be doing something if I get another detention."  
  
Kagome laughed and surprisingly, Inuyasha smiled.  
  
"Well then, better not get yourself in trouble young missy," Kagome said.  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"'Cuz I'm presently working at the Chill Groove Café just a few blocks from here. If you want, I can treat you out for dinner tomorrow and let's go watch a movie!"  
  
"GREAT!" squealed Emiko. "I'd love that." And then she whispered. "Is Inuyasha coming?"  
  
"Hey! I heard that!!!" shouted Inuyasha. Emiko just looked terrified.  
  
"Well don't blame her for being terrified at you Inuyasha. You didn't give her much of a welcome a while ago you know. And, she doesn't understand how come you look like that," reasoned Kagome.  
  
"No one does," muttered Inuyasha.  
  
It was quiet for a few minutes. Only the chit chattering of other pupils were heard. The sun was now fully up and shinning.  
  
"I'm sorry Inuyasha," whispered Emiko in a soft voice but of course, Inuyasha heard it clearly.  
  
"It's alright," he replied. Emiko stared at him for a while and so did Inuyasha. Admiring his golden orbs made a blush creep to Emiko's face. It reminded her of someone.  
  
Emiko shook her head. What was she thinking?  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"What really happened to you? Why do you have... um... well... those ears?"  
  
Inuyasha closed his eyes for a while. Kagome and Emiko had both their eyes on him.  
  
"Kagome," he whispered. "You say it."  
  
Kagome nodded and sighed. "Well, here it goes. But it's not going to be short. When Inuyasha's mother, Natasha, was pregnant with him, world war three (A/N: ok, I'm making WW3 between the German's and the Japanese, up because if Inuyasha was born some where in WW2, he is now already as old as my great, great grandfather) was going on. One night, Inu-Taishi, Inuyasha's father told Natasha to go find a safer place in another island because staying in their house wasn't safe enough for both her and the baby. He gave her a ticket for the midnight ship. Natasha didn't agree to leave her husband behind but thought of her baby's sake. So she just went with her husband's plan.  
  
Natasha held her stomach as she ran through the streets of Tokyo. It was only 9 pm then. Natasha took Grimond Street thinking it was safer. But that's where it all went wrong. Natasha was kidnapped by a drunk German. He carried her to his abandoned house near there. Natasha was already crying by the time they reached the house. Because the man was drunk, he didn't notice Natasha was pregnant so he raped her. Natasha was screaming for help but no one came.  
  
She crept out the house when the drunk German was asleep and reached the pier on time filled with tears. What would happen to her baby?  
  
After 3 months, the German's decided to give up. The war was finally over and Natasha was now giving birth to her first child, Inuyasha. Inu- Taishi was there too.  
  
The doctor came in with disappointing news. She said that Inuyasha was not going to make it unless Natasha was willing to give up her life. She also said that he would be born with some abnormalities because something went wrong during her sixth month pregnancy.  
  
Right away, Natasha pleaded to take her life away if that meant her baby was going to live whether with abnormalities or not. So there, Inuyasha was born with these, kawaii, dog ears." Kagome sighed. She hated telling people Inuyasha's story. It just made her feel more sorry for him.  
  
Emiko had her eyes stuck on the ground. Inuyasha has gone through this life and she just reminded him of it.  
  
Inuyasha could smell tears starting to fill up Emiko's green sphere's. He just hated girls crying, especially if it was because of him. He leaned against the tall tree and closed his eyes.  
  
"Stop crying," he said. Emiko wiped the tears away.  
  
"Wasn't," she lied.  
  
"I could smell the tears stupid," was Inuyasha's answer. Then it was silent once again.  
  
"KAGOME!!! INUYASHA!!!"  
  
The two people jerked right up hearing their names. Emiko did too. They all turned to their left to see a dark haired girl running their way.  
  
The girl stopped near the Sakura tree and rested. Her loud panting could be heard by the three.  
  
"What's up Sango?" asked Kagome.  
  
The girl named Sango looked up. Then she stood behind Kagome.  
  
"Save me," she whispered.  
  
After that, the four heard a loud shout echo across the school grounds.  
  
"LADY SANGO!!! LADY SANGO!!!" a tall, dark but handsome guy shouted. He had shoulder length hair that was tied in a small ponytail.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha understood Sango's situation. In fact, they were so used to it because it happened almost everyday. But clueless Emiko was left with a puzzled mind.  
  
The man shouting for Sango ran towards them. Sango was behind Kagome still catching her breath. Both her hands were on Kagome's shoulders.  
  
"Lady Sango, I do not understand why you always leave me like that," the long haired guy said as he sat down right beside Inuyasha and stared at Sango's brown marbles.  
  
Then, the man switched his gaze and looked at Emiko.  
  
"I believe we haven't met yet," he said while reaching to Emiko's hand and kissed it. Emiko's face was now the color of dark crimson.  
  
"Oh yeah," said Kagome. "Emiko this is Miroku Hoshi. Miroku, Emiko Ishikawa, she's new here."  
  
Emiko smiled at Miroku who still kept his tight grip on her hand. The, Miroku looked at her jade orbs with a serious face.  
  
"Emiko-san," he said in a low serious voice which, to no surprise, made her blush even more. "Would you give me the pleasure of bearing my child?"  
  
After that, Miroku was found kissing the floor with two slap marks from both Kagome and Emiko and three lumps on the head from Sango.  
  
"Nice meeting you," mumbled Emiko, Kagome, Sango and Inuyasha laughed all together.  
  
"Hi Emiko. I'm Sango Katana. I believe we will be great friends!!!" said Sango with a huge smile on her face which made Emiko wonder what happened to her a while ago and why she was running away from Miroku.  
  
And without question, she found out the answer. She felt a hand reach out to her lower hips and gently squeezed it.  
  
Emiko gave out a loud scream and started slapping Miroku, who was again to no surprise behind this, endlessly. ((Yeah!! Go Emiko!!!)) Sango, Inuyasha and Kagome were watching from behind without any hint they were surprised for this action.  
  
After a few minutes later, Emiko had recovered from all the shock. Miroku laid helplessly beside Inuyasha and the three girls were chatting happily.  
  
"Hey how about going to my place later?" asked Sango.  
  
"I would love to but-"  
  
"But what Emiko?"  
  
"You see, I have an hour of detention after school," explained Emiko slightly embarrassed of her actions.  
  
"Don't tell me you got a detention on your first day of school," said Sango looking at Emiko suspiciously. Emiko just looked at the ground.  
  
"Yeah she did, but not on purpose," said Kagome. "It was Math."  
  
Sango nodded and understood. The three girls agreed on one thing so far, aside from Miroku being a hentai, and it was that Math was plain B-O-R- I-N-G. Especially when Mr. Mikami started explaining Algebra and other hard terms. It just didn't go in their brains.  
  
Inuyasha looked at his wrist watch with his half open eyes. It was now 12: 45 and 1:15 was their next class.  
  
"Guys," he said as he opened his golden eyes widely. "I guess we should go now. Before anything else comes up and keeps us busy."  
  
Kagome looked at her watch too and nodded. She and Inuyasha were cleaning up their mess. Sango and Emiko were now ready to go. Miroku was too.  
  
"C'mon couple let's go!" shouted Miroku. This confused Emiko. 'Couple?!'  
  
Sango saw the look on her new friend's face. Her eyebrows crossed each other now as she looked at Inuyasha and Kagome walk towards them.  
  
"I believe with that expression on your face, Kag and Inu hasn't told you that they were together, right?" asked Sango.  
  
Emiko turned to Sango with a more confused look but nodded. Then she finally accessed Sango's words.  
  
"They are?!" she asked with a tone of excitement. They were now walking towards the main halls of the school. Inuyasha, Kagome and Miroku were in front of them.  
  
"Yup!" was the only answer of Sango.  
  
Emiko looked at Inuyasha and Kagome. It was hard to believe that they were together. Kagome was plain kind but Inuyasha was well... a little grumpy. But then, Kagome was the only one who understood Inuyasha completely and the knew each other more than anyone else. And with Kagome around, Inuyasha was sure to have a happier life.  
  
'Then this relationship is for the better', she thought still eyes on the happy couple.  
  
Emiko was walking blankly behind the group. She didn't mind at all. She looked at the ground following their loud footsteps. Then the thought came to her mind. She had friends now!!! It was the first time she had any. Ever since she was kindergarten, she was always picked on. Everyone called her a loser and told her she was weak. Everyone laughed at her when she walked or even talked. She couldn't do anything without anyone humiliating her. That's why she hated that school. She was so glad to hear that her mother has been transferred to a higher branch at their office. They needed to move because her office was now in Tokyo. The thought of leaving her school made her smile.  
  
And now she was walking with friends. The word never came into her mind. But now, she just couldn't believe.  
  
And just when she thought she was now having the happiest day of her life. Then she felt a strong thing bump her weak shoulder. Then next thing she knew, she stumbled and hit the floor.  
  
"Ah, if it isn't dear Ishikawa," she heard a voice. She looked up and saw 7 people. They all made her shiver in fear. But the one that caught her eye was the one standing in front of them. He had long curly hair and a really pale face. He had this grin on his face that made fear rise from Emiko.  
  
"Aren't you the sweetie who did this to my pal Sess?" he said coldly. Pointing to the person on his right. He pointed at his bandaged forehead and showed Emiko his hands who's bandages were already red. Emiko noticed the man he was pointing to. It was the man with silver hair. Sesshomaru, she remembered.  
  
"What do you want from her Naraku?" asked Inuyasha who was now in front of Emiko and glaring at the guy named Naraku.  
  
"Oh nothing much," Naraku said with a tone of irritation. "Just young sweet revenge on dear Emiko for planting bruises on my pal!!!!"  
  
Emiko jumped. Naraku seemed mad. This Sesshomaru guy must be his best friend or something, because he was willing to take revenge for him.  
  
Inuyasha growled. "Then try to," he said toughly and gave another death glare to both Sesshomaru and Naraku. But Naraku just smiled.  
  
"Oh, we'll do that my dear boy, and very soon indeed, but not now. Yes, not now," said Naraku. He laughed evilly that made Emiko even more scared than ever. Before he left, he gave Inuyasha a punch. As his hand met Inuyasha's face, he stumbled on the floor.  
  
Kagome, Sango and Miroku ran to him immediately leaving Emiko who was still on the ground.  
  
Inuyasha's nose was bleeding bad. Right away, Emiko knew this Naraku was trouble. And so was his so-called friends.  
  
But then, the person who was at the very back of the group stopped in front of Emiko. He had short brown hair and turquoise eyes. (there you go nikki!!!) He looked at Emiko with a serious face.  
  
And then, he reached out a hand to Emiko. His serious face turned to a smiling one.  
  
This guy must be the "good one" in their group, Emiko told herself allowing her hand to meet with this mans outreached one.  
  
"Akira! Come here now!" another man shouted as Emiko got to his feet. The man had long hair tied into a braid. Emiko couldn't believe what she was seeing but he also had scary ruby eyes that darted right to Emiko.  
  
The guy who helped Emiko up shouted "Right there!" His voice wasn't like the other's too. It was not low and scary. It was more like friendly and soothing.  
  
He ran to the braided haired guy but before that, winked at Emiko who, for the fourth time, blushed 3 shades of red.  
  
She just stared at that guy run to his friends. The guy with the braids hit him gently on the head. The brunette stuck out a tongue and laughed. The guy with the braids laughed too. Emiko unconsciously let out a smile.  
  
"Oi, Emiko! Why are you smiling there?" asked a familiar voice to see Inuyasha looking at her.  
  
"Nothing much," she replied and ran to them who were now resting on a bench outside the Science lab.  
  
She sat with them too not daring to take of the grin on her face.  
  
***  
  
Inuyasha's nose now ceased bleeding and they were all settled in the Science lab. To their surprise, only fifteen minutes has passed.  
  
"So who were those guys anyway?" Emiko asked. She was seat in front of Kagome who was in between Miroku and Inuyasha. Sango was seated beside her.  
  
"Better not know Emiko," said Miroku.  
  
Emiko looked at him with watery eyes.  
  
"Oh c'mon Miroku, she has every right to know who they are," Sango said as she looked at the hentai.  
  
"Okay, okay," said Miroku. "But you explain."  
  
"Right," said Sango. All eyes were on her. "Those seven guys are the biggest bullies here in school. They are also seven of the richest people around. All they do is terrorized those who they think are losers. Not that you're a loser Emiko. But it is unusual for them to pick on a girl. I know they're all bullies but they do respect women. And, why did Naraku blame you for giving Sesshomaru those wounds?"  
  
Emiko looked guilty. She didn't want them to know her encounter a while ago but told them anyway. It was easy explaining to them and they understood pretty well.  
  
"No wonder Naraku wants revenge. Those wounds weren't a joke, but then, you didn't mean it and it was mostly Sesshomaru's fault," said Kagome as soon as Emiko finished.  
  
"I- I- I know..." faltered Emiko. "But who are these seven guys anyway? Could you explain to me, please?"  
  
This time, Inuyasha was the one who answered. "Naraku, Sesshomaru, Hiten, Manten, Kouga, Touya and Jakken are the name of those seven guys. Naraku is their leader and Sesshomaru his right hand and best friend. I believe you already know who they are?"  
  
Emiko nodded as she remembered her encounter a while ago. Seeing that curly haired man Naraku and the silver haired devil Sesshomaru and...  
  
"Who was that brunette that helped me?" she asked puzzled. If all of them were evil, how come this boy even helped her?  
  
"That was Touya Akira," answered Miroku. "Everyone believes he's the friendliest from all of them. But we don't. This guy may act friendly, but he has a mean dark side too."  
  
Emiko didn't listen to Miroku's last sentence. A picture of Touya came into her mind. He was cute, she admitted. But I don't want to fall for him.  
  
"So who are the rest?" asked Emiko snapping back to reality.  
  
"Kouga Motto is the guy with long hair tied in a high ponytail. Fancies Kagome, right?" said Sango. Inuyasha growled as Kagome gave a slight blush.  
  
"And don't forget the Antsu brother's, Hiten and Manten. Hiten is in our year. He has long hair that's always tied in a braid. And Manten is a sophomore. Has short black hair, but almost all gone," explained Miroku.  
  
"Stay away from those two Emiko. They have no hearts," added Kagome. Emiko nodded. These bullies were worst than the one in her old school.  
  
"How about this Jakken guy?" she asked looking at Inuyasha.  
  
"Oh he's nothing," Inuyasha replied with a grin. "He just follows them around. More like a slave. I don't even know why people add him to the group."  
  
Emiko gave no expression. She was both terrified and angry with all of them but she didn't want to show her gang. If these guys were that bad, she'd better watch where she's going.  
  
*********************************  
  
Naraku laughed evilly. He was outside the school playing hooky with his gang.  
  
"Bet'cha she's crying and running to her mama now huh?" said Hiten. Naraku just laughed more.  
  
"It's gonna be fun terrorizing this girly," he said looking at his best friend. "After what she did to you, she doesn't know what to expect anymore."  
  
Sesshomaru gave no expression but inside he was laughing. He, too, was evil.  
  
"But I like this girl's mind," said Touya as he sat down near Manten. "Getting in trouble on the first day of school, didn't she?"  
  
Manten nodded drinking his glass of root beer.  
  
"Well then, let's just give Ishikawa Emiko the worst year ever!!!"  
  
With that, the gang laughed loudly. Even serious Sesshomaru gave in. He liked Naraku's plans though he didn't show it. This is going to be a blast...  
  
___________________  
  
A/N: so how'd ya like it? please review and tell me what you think. Suggestions, comments, compliments even flames are welcome. Anything to make this fic better!!! sorry for the l8 update... 


	4. Detention with Akira

Hey! I'm terribly sorry for the late update! You all know how busy, busy, busy I am, right?... I'm really SO sorry I haven't updated sooner... thanks for all the reviews anyways forgive me will ya?! And I want to make something clear... I do not want to get married with the computer, k... And I also want to make another thing crystal... Touya Akira is an OC. His name is based from a character from another anime called Hikaru No Go. I don't own him but I want to make it clear that this Touya is different... and I've never even watched Hikaru No Go... thanks for understandingÜ well, hope you like this next chappie 'cuz I really worked hard on this... R&R!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Even if I wish I could, I do not own Inuyasha!!!  
  
Because of you  
  
Chapter 3- Detention with Akira  
  
It seemed like forever until the bell rang.  
  
The class was quiet for a while but then they heard it. To them it sounded like the Alleluia chorus.  
  
As soon as it finished ringing everyone went running out the door bumping into each other like hungry animals.  
  
"Ok class!!! Don't forget your home works!!!" shouted Ms. Kikyo as she saw her class ran out of the classroom. Finally, she said to herself as she too walked out.  
  
____________________  
  
"Don't worry Emiko, detention is not that bad!" said Kagome.  
  
"How do you know Kagome? Have you ever been in detention?" asked Emiko.  
  
The gang was now walking towards their lockers to get their things when Emiko brought up the topic about detention. She said her hands were already getting sweaty. She never had detention before anyways but heard it was boring and teachers had to let you do something.  
  
"Well... actually, I never had a detention before," said Kagome as she came to a stop at locker 233. Everyone stopped too. "But I know Inuyasha and Miroku had gone to tons of detentions before they met us, and look! they're still alive!"  
  
Inuyasha snorted. So much for a reliever.  
  
"C'mon Emiko, don't be such a baby. It's only one hour," he said and put his hands in his pockets.  
  
Kagome slammed the door of her locker. They went to the band of lockers behind Kagome's. Sango and Emiko took their stop beside each other.  
  
"But then one hour is long too, ya know," said Emiko. She put her head in her locker and put her books. She got her bag as well.  
  
"Like Inuyasha said, don't worry lovely Emiko. We've been there before and it wasn't bad trust me. All the teacher's will do is just watch you. But then some even sleep," said Miroku.  
  
Emiko windrowed her head out of her locker and nodded.  
  
"That's my girl!" said Miroku.  
  
And after saying that, he was once again on the floor.  
  
"He's groping me again!" shouted Emiko.  
  
"Leave Emiko alone, will ya. She's new for heaven's sake!" said Sango as she passed Miroku. She knelt down and gave him a punch on the head.  
  
Miroku got up. "What was that for, my lady Sango?" he asked as he rubbed his soar head.  
  
"For not behaving yourself! And stop calling me that!"  
  
"What my lady Sango? Calling you what?" asked Miroku confused.  
  
"That!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"'My Lady Sango'," Sango replied mockingly.  
  
On the other side of the wall, Kagome, Inuyasha and Emiko stood watching. Miroku and Sango were like cats and dogs fighting but the three knew they were perfect for each other. It was pretty obvious that they were in love with each other even with or without the groping.  
  
Emiko looked at the steel clock right above her locker. It was 3:15 pm. She took a brush from her bag and started combing her coffee colored hair which now laid down like a curtain of silk. She didn't tie it in a ponytail anymore, she just let it hang.  
  
She kept her comb in her bag once again and braced herself. This was it, she thought.  
  
"Well, guess I'm off guys!" she said. Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango and Miroku looked at her direction with serious faces.  
  
"Good luck!" they said in chorus. Emiko sweat dropped –anime style- thinking the gang was going to say something more like a 'Hope you get through!' or 'See you later' because 'good luck' seemed to her like something bad was going to happen!  
  
Well, Emiko said to herself. Better than nothing.  
  
Emiko took steps away from her gang which just watched her disappear from their sight. Emiko took the left hallway and she was out of their way.  
  
"How come she's so nervous? She was so cool about it at lunch," said Kagome looking at Inuyasha.  
  
"No. She was also nervous at lunch. She just covered it up by laughing," he answered.  
  
_______________________________  
  
Emiko was steps away from the detention room. She felt drops of sweat pour from her head.  
  
Relax, she told herself.  
  
She took a deep breath and stepped forward. She turned her hand into a weak fist and made it collide with the door. She raised it again and knocked once more.  
  
She opened the door to see an empty room with only two people inside. An old man and a brunette she couldn't notice because he was sleeping with his face covered with his hands. The room was smaller than the normal classrooms but was filled with chairs and tables. In front she saw the old man wake up from his sleep because of Emiko's knocking.  
  
"Hello dear," he said in a weak elderly voice. "May I have your slip please?"  
  
Emiko put her sweaty hand in her pocket and pulled out a small, rectangular piece of paper.  
  
"Ah," the old man said in his sleepy voice. "The classic, eh? Sleeping in the classroom. Oh! What's this?! On the first day of school?!"  
  
Emiko looked flushed and found herself addicted to the floor.  
  
"Well then lass, take a seat. I'm Professor Totosai by the way. But I like to be called Pro," the old man said. He sat down once again as Emiko took her seat.  
  
"See here?" he said pointing at the board. "A couple of rules 'ere in detention. Read and follow, lass."  
  
Emiko looked at the evergreen board. There she read, written in a nice penmanship:  
  
Rules in Detention:  
  
- NO EATING - OBSERVE SILENCE AT ALL TIMES - NO WRITING - NO READING - NO SMOKING - NO PLAYING - NO FIGHTING - NO ANYTHING!!!!!!  
  
THINK OF WHAT YOU DID! (you may sleep though)  
  
Emiko switched her gaze. This was easier than she thought! All you had to do was stay quiet for a while nothing that bad.  
  
The girl looked in front once again hearing a click sound. She saw Toto- "Pro" fixing his things and putting his top hat on his bald head.  
  
"Excuse me pro. Where are you going?" asked Emiko.  
  
"SILENCE! Can't you see the board?" was the reply of the senior citizen. "I know it's not proper to leave you here but I have more important business to attend to. I trust both of you enough to stay right here, eh? I'm callin' lady Kaede too."  
  
Emiko looked at him strangely. What kind of teacher leaves his pupil?  
  
"Well, I'm off lassie. Do me a favor and guard that troublemaker beside you, please. He's a real pain. Never had a day that I didn't see him since September and that meant I never had a day off. And also try not to disobey any rule on the board, ne? Or I'll be seeing more of you. Ja!"  
  
With that her exited the room and slammed the door. The boy beside Emiko jerked up his head surprised of the sudden noise.  
  
"Wha-"he said looking around. Seeing that Pro had gone out, he stretched his arms and looked at Emiko.  
  
Emiko looked at him too. She was shocked to see it was Touya Akira sitting beside her. So he was the troublemaker Pro has been talking about.  
  
"Hey new girl," he greeted with a big smile.  
  
Emiko blushed. "Call me Emiko please," she said. "I feel uneasy if you call me that."  
  
"Ok, Emiko," Touya replied pronouncing Emiko with sarcasm. "Why are you here anyway? And on the first day of school!"  
  
"Yeah I know," Emiko said laughing. "I think I slept at the wrong side of the bed last night. Didn't sleep well, ya know."  
  
Touya's smile didn't fade. "Sleeping in class, at least it's not that serious," he said looking at Emiko's emerald orbs.  
  
Emiko looked at his turquoise eyes. They seemed so perfect. But then she snapped out of her daydream.  
  
"How about you?" she asked. "Why are you here for like... ever?!"  
  
Touya couldn't help but laugh. Emiko looked confused. "Well, I was caught vandalizing the boy's lavatory today. Wrote something disgusting. Better not knowing."  
  
"Why do you enjoy that anyway? I never thought vandalizing could be fun," said Emiko as she turned her gape in front.  
  
"Well, Ms. Trouble's-not-fun, I happened to think this school is pretty boring. We never do anything exciting around here. All we do is follow those old farts around," answered Touya. Emiko still didn't understand. What makes trouble so fun?  
  
"Is that why Naraku formed the group of bullies?" she asked looking at Touya who was now looking at the board.  
  
"'Bullies'?" he asked surprised turning his head to her knowing she was looking at him. "Is that what you think of us? Bullies?"  
  
"Yeah," was the smart answer of Emiko. "If that's not who you are then, what do you call people who terrorize people who they know are 'weaker' than them for fun? What do you call a bunch of people who roam around school thinking they're better than everyone and always carrying their huge amount of pride, showing it off?"  
  
Touya thought for a while. "Hmm," he said. "Guess your right. We are bullies."  
  
"Good," Emiko said mockingly. "Now you know."  
  
"But I have another question for you," said Touya.  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"What do you call people who goes on dates with bullies?"  
  
Emiko looked at his eyes with any hint of sarcasm in that statement. She saw absolutely nothing.  
  
"Are you asking me out?" she asked obviously blushing.  
  
"What do you think?" Touya bounced the question beck to her.  
  
"I dunno," Emiko said, her eyes stuck on the floor. She felt a soft hand touch her chin. It raised her head to Touya's eyes.  
  
"Yeah," he said casually. "I'm asking you out."  
  
________________________________________  
  
After an hour, Emiko emerged right out of the room. She could not believe she was stuck in that room for an hour without any teacher and with a really cute guy who just asked her out.  
  
She was first hesitating thinking it was some kind of practical joke his gang was playing on her. But then she saw Touya's beautiful eyes and that told her everything so she finally said yes.  
  
The two lovebirds planned to meet at the mall the day after tomorrow at 11:00. Emiko was so excited though she didn't really know what Touya felt for her. So she has convinced herself not to think she likes him because, for Pete's sake, they only knew each other for a day! But Emiko didn't brush the thought that even if she did have detention, have an unfriendly welcome and "accidentally" bumped into the school bullies, Touya asking her out made her day the best day ever.  
  
Sure Emiko has dated. But only once since her mother was too overprotective for her to date more. The guy's name was Rei. It was good for a couple of days until Emiko found out she was being two-timed. The nerve of some people!!! But then, love works differently.  
  
Before heading home, Emiko thought of visiting Sango or Kagome for this. So she took a different route than she did going to school.  
  
She looked at the sky like it was almost falling on her. She couldn't keep but spread an irresistible smile on her face.  
  
Once again her stupid daydreaming lead her to bump into another person. She fell on the ground not too hard.  
  
"Oh I'm so sorry," she said getting up.  
  
"You should be. That's the second time around," said a familiar cold voice that sent shivers to Emiko's spine.  
  
She looked up to see, once again, Sesshomaru looking at her with his cool amber eyes with anger.  
  
"Hey I already said sorry so bug off will ya?!" with that Emiko ran faster towards the townhouse Sango's living at.  
  
__________________________  
  
"How 'bout playing Life Sango-chan?" asked a sweet voice.  
  
"I dunno Kagome. I think it's with Kohaku now. He just loves that game. And going into his room would be like going to a jungle," Sango replied looking at her friend.  
  
"Then what are we going to do Sango-chan?" asked Kagome.  
  
They thought for a while until they heard the door bell ring.  
  
Sango got up from the couch in the living room. "That must be the pizza I ordered!" She ran out of the room carrying her money.  
  
She opened the door without looking at the person in front. "Thanks for delivering the pizza! Here's your money, keep the change!"  
  
"I'm sorry ma'am, I've seemed to have forgotten your pizza," said a low voice. It was more like a girl pretending to be a boy.  
  
Sango looked ahead to see Emiko at her doorstep still wearing their green uniform.  
  
"Oh Emi-chan! I didn't notice you there!"  
  
"Yeah, I noticed that," Emiko replied.  
  
"Well come in!" Sango welcomed. "Hey Kagome! Emiko's here!!!"  
  
Kagome looked at Emiko and smiled. Emiko smiled back as much. She entered the house. It was almost like hers except it was bigger and had more furniture. She took off her shoes and walked to Kagome with her bare feet covered in clean white socks. Emiko sat down beside Kagome who was lying down the other side of the couch.  
  
"So," Sango said. "How was detention?"  
  
Emiko looked at Sango trying not to show the excitement in her eyes. She decided, while on the walk, she didn't want to tell them yet that Touya had asked her out because they might pass out. She also didn't want to worry them since she knows they don't like Touya that much.  
  
"Good," she answered in a shaky tone.  
  
"That's good!" Kagome squealed. "So are you goin' with us tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah," she answered sitting like an Indian. "I'm sure my mom would allow me."  
  
"How are you so sure?" asked Sango who was now switching the channel while slouching at her lazy boy chair.  
  
"I dunno," said Emiko looking at the widescreen TV right in front of her. It was amazing how Sango's family could afford that. But then again, maybe they were millionaires. "But what I do know is that I can convince her with my powers!"  
  
Both Sango and Kagome laughed with that statement. Emiko laughed along too.  
  
"So how are things going with you and Inuyasha?" asked Emiko changing the subject.  
  
Kagome didn't dare look at the one who asked the question because she could feel her cheeks burning up. Emiko and Sango noticed this and laughed.  
  
"C'mon Kagome, answer the question," said Sango as she lowered the volume so she could hear Kagome talk.  
  
"Well, things are going good," she whispered still blushing. "We've been out on dates and that's probably it..."  
  
"Uh-huh," Sango and Emiko said unconvinced.  
  
Emiko looked at the TV once again.  
  
"But I bet you two have been kissing," muttered Emiko just enough for everyone to hear. And again Kagome blushed 50 shades of red. She bowed her head sitting up not even thinking of showing Emiko her bright crimson face.  
  
"Kag? Why are you blushing?" asked Sango. Then she gasped. "Oh my God!!! You two have BEEN kissing!!!"  
  
Both Emiko and Sango squealed. For the first time, Emiko felt like she was going to faint in excitement. These memories would surely stay in her mind.  
  
Kagome said nothing. She didn't even look at her friend's happy faces.  
  
"So how was it Kag?" asked Sango who headed straight to Kagome. Emiko knelt down too near her new friend and the two were now crowding the scarlet faced girl.  
  
"C'mon tell us!" convinced Emiko. "We're you're friends. We won't tell."  
  
Kagome looked up to see two girls who looked completely out of their minds. "Promise," she said putting out her two tiny pinkies right in front of her so-called "best friends".  
  
"Promise," Sango and Emiko said in unison while ramming their pinkies with Kagome's.  
  
Then there was silence for a while.  
  
"Well," said Sango impatiently.  
  
Kagome nodded her head flushed. "Yeah," she mumbled. "We've had a couple 'f kisses."  
  
Sango covered her mouth while Emiko could just stare. She was wondering why Kagome didn't want to tell them this.  
  
"How was it then?" Sango repeated not satisfied.  
  
It took a while for Kagome to answer. It took Sango some more repetitions too.  
  
Finally, getting quite annoyed Kagome shouted: "Alright! He's the best kisser ever ok! Happy?!"  
  
"Couldn't be better," muttered Sango under her breath while spreading a grin on her face. Then Kagome's voice was heard once again.  
  
"... Alright! He was the best kisser ok! Happy?!..."  
  
Emiko looked at Kagome who seemed as shocked as she was. On the other hand Sango was smiling like crazy. Then Kagome stood up with an expression like she could kill.  
  
"SANGO!!!" she shouted. "YOU TAPED IT YOU- YOU- BAKA!!!!"  
  
Sango took out a recorder much like the ones reporters use. Then she ran upstairs with Kagome running after her like a snake running after a big rat, her hands really ready to murder. But it was a good thing no one was in the house. Emiko could tell because if this happened in her household, her mother would have been screaming that they were too noisy. And her brother would, well, he wouldn't mind since he was always stuck whether on the computer or their play station.  
  
Emiko was left sitting down at the living room. She scooted a little backwards comforting herself. She thought of this day. The accident, the class, the bullies but most of her attention was still on the part of detention.  
  
But something in her says she shouldn't go out with him. Something says that he wasn't the one. And that the same something says bug off him. He's a bully for heaven's sake. But apart from that, she ignored it all thinking it should go smooth.  
  
She rested her head on the pillow and closed her eyes just to relax. She could still hear footsteps from upstairs. Loud ones, to be exact.  
  
Soon she could feel herself drifting into sleep. But the last picture on her mind couldn't let her. It wasn't any of her friends. It wasn't Touya either. It was no other than, Sesshomaru...  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Tell me if it's good. Or should l revise it? Please review. And again I'm sooooooo SORRY for updating sooooooooo late. I'm really busy and my teacher in creative writing needed my article soon. And I'm not kidding around with this. But hope you do like this chappie. And pray that I will update soon! TY!!! 


	5. Hanging Out with the Inu Gang

*runs and hides from reviewers* hope your not mad at me for taking an ETERNITY for updating. I really had an authors block and I even had second thoughts of deleting my story. But when I received a very encouraging review, I guess I should just continue this fic. R&R!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN INUYASHA OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS!  
  
Because of you  
  
Chapter 4- Hanging out with the Inu gang!  
  
Emiko woke up with the sound of her name. She couldn't remember anything anymore.  
  
"Emi-chan! Emi-chan!" shouted a voice.  
  
Emiko opened her emerald eyes. It was kind of blurry at first. Then, she saw a human figure in front of her. It was a girl because Emiko noticed how long her hair was. She rubbed her eyes only to see Sango's face close to hers.  
  
"Whoa!" said Emiko in shock. "Where am I?"  
  
Emiko sat up. She saw a wide-screen TV and noticed she was sitting on a leather couch. Then it came to her mind that she was still in Sango's house.  
  
"You're still in my house, Emi-chan. Kagome already left 2 hours ago. I thought you already left because it was so quiet so I didn't mind looking for you. I went to my room already and took a shower. And I did my homework too. After I decided to go downstairs and watch some television. But when I sat on the couch a few minutes ago, waiting for my parents and my brother Kohaku to come back, I noticed someone sleeping. So I woke you up to tell you that it's almost midnight," said Sango. Emiko searched for a clock. She looked around the room to see a big metal clock hanging on the wall near the television set.  
  
It was already 11:44 pm.  
  
Emiko got up and muttered: "My mom's gonna kill me." Sango got up too handing Emiko her school things.  
  
Emiko walked straight to the door and put on her black shoes. She swing her bag around her shoulder and turned to Sango. "Thanks a lot Sango!"  
  
Sango nodded and hugged her friend. "Good night Emi-chan. I just hope your mom will still allow you to go with us tomorrow."  
  
Emiko gave a quick smile and opened the door. She headed left and saw Sango shut the gate. As soon as she did, Emiko started running. It was a cold night. The white ball was out fully but dark black clouds were covering it. Emiko was shivering. She didn't even have her jacket on.  
  
After a few more turns, Emiko reached Golden St. She hurried past many serene houses. Everyone was probably asleep already but Emiko doubted her mother was already in deep slumber. She usually stays up late because of work and of course every mother would stay up late if they knew their daughter was still out.  
  
Emiko reached the house at the far end on the street. It had a forest green door and was painted in the hue of beige. Emiko steeped on the door step and reached under the WELCOME rug on the floor. It was a little dirty and had an unpleasant smell too, but that was the only place where the family could keep their spare key.  
  
Her hand was already freezing as she touched the cool floor. She scanned the under of the rug and finally got a grip of a cold metal object. She picked it up and inserted it into the key whole.  
  
Trying not to make any sudden noises, she slowly opened the door. She took out the key from the key whole and entered. Then she cautiously took off her shoes and put it aside while she slipped in her warm slippers. Thank God her mother had fixed the heater or she would freeze to death.  
  
She walked through the cream colored carpet quietly. She saw a light coming from the kitchen so she quickly went upstairs.  
  
"Where are you going young lady?" asked a calm voice. Emiko looked back to see a cross faced mother with both of her hands on her hips.  
  
"Hehe," said Emiko guiltily.  
  
"And where have you gone?" asked Mrs. Ishikawa still in a tranquil voice. But Emiko could see that her face was growing redder and it was not called blushing.  
  
"I went to Sango's house after school because I was gonna tell her something. But then I fell asleep so I came home late," explained Emiko trying not to sound scared.  
  
"Well," said her mother. Emiko winced. She didn't know what was coming next. "At least my daughter's safe."  
  
Emiko calmed down. "You're not mad?"  
  
"Well, yes I am. But what's the point. What's done is done, right?" stated Mrs. Ishikawa.  
  
Emiko nodded stepping closer to her mother so she could hug her. She just knew her mother was the sweetest thing.  
  
"But next time, I don't want you going to anyone's house without calling. And no more detentions!"  
  
Emiko looked up to her mother. "How did you know?"  
  
"I have power's of my own Emiko. Now go to bed!"  
  
Emiko didn't hesitate to disobey because who knew if her mother's choice was just temporary. She ran upstairs to her room and took a quick shower. Then she landed on the bed and fell in a deep sleep...  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The brunette woke up with the sudden beeping of her tawny colored alarm clock. She used her hand to search the beeping object and turn off the switch without bothering to open her eyes.  
  
She press the right button and the sound ceased. She didn't really want to get up. She had already slept late and now she will wake up early?! But then school was more of a priority than what happened last night so if she could sleep late for that, she could wake up early for this.  
  
Getting up, she slowly flattened her messy hair. She starched her arms and got on her feet. She yawned as she reached the comfort room.  
  
Minutes later, she got out of the lavatory now dressed in her white and green uniform. She was once again sitting on her wooden stool looking at herself while brushing her hair and forming a half ponytail.  
  
She went downstairs carrying her bag. She did her usual thing which was to greet her father a good morning.  
  
She headed straight towards the kitchen where she wasn't surprised to see her brother and mother both doing their morning things.  
  
"Morning everyone!" she greeted. Both her mother and Naoko just smiled at her and proceeded back to their business.  
  
"Where were you last night Emiko-chan?" asked her brother as Emiko sat down facing her brother.  
  
"Um," Emiko said laying her bag at her side so she would have her shoulder's free. "I was in a friend's house. I was only planning to stay for a couple of minutes but then I fell asleep."  
  
Naoko laughed at her sister. Emiko joined along too. She just loved how her brother laughs. She feels less guilty about stuff.  
  
"So then later you would get home early?" he asked as they both ceased laughing.  
  
"Well," started Emiko. She forgot to ask her mom if she could go later. And she was also afraid to know the answer because she might not say 'yes'. "I was planning to go out with my friends after class. Kagome invited me to the restaurant she is working at. But that's if mom allows me?"  
  
Right on cue Mrs. Ishikawa looked at her daughter. Emiko looked at her mother's blue eyes trying to look sorry for what she did.  
  
"I guess it wouldn't hurt," Mrs. Ishikawa finally said. "But that's if you would promise to baby sit your brother this Saturday because I'm going on a business trip."  
  
Emiko nodded and ran towards her mom giving her a warm hug. "Thank you," she whispered as she was released from her mother's grip.  
  
She looked at her watch. It was already 7:30 am. School started at 8:00. Emiko kissed her brother's forehead and grabbed her remaining toast. Then she rested her bag on one of her shoulders and ran straight to the door slipping her shoes in.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"So, did your mother allow you to come with us today?" asked Kagome. It was already lunch time (I know that was quick... but nothing will happen in between classes today!) and they were sitting once again under the shade of the same Cherry Blossom tree. Sango and Miroku were having a discussion on their "project" surprisingly without Miroku groping anyone... yet. Kagome and Inuyasha sat beside each other, leaning against the tree, with Inuyasha's hands circling Kagome's waist. Emiko on the other hand was lying on her chest trying to solve the homework Ms. Kikyo gave them that she has also failed to answer because she fell asleep.  
  
"Yup!" said Emiko enthusiastically as she looked at Kagome's grey- blue eyes. "Told you so."  
  
Kagome laughed but Inuyasha was confused.  
  
"Huh?" he asked.  
  
"So what movie are we watching?" asked Emiko changing the subject.  
  
Kagome thought for a while. "How about The Passion of the Christ?" she asked.  
  
Inuyasha shook his head. "Nope," he said. "Already saw it. And it's too brutal for you." He kissed Kagome on the cheek.  
  
"You can't tell me what to watch!" whined Kagome as she gently pressed her index finger on her lover's nose.  
  
Emiko smiled at the two. They seemed perfect for one another.  
  
"What about Scooby Doo 2?" asked Sango who butted in the conversation.  
  
"Uh-uh," said Miroku. "Too childish!"  
  
"Aren't we children?" asked Sango sarcastically. Miroku shrugged.  
  
Emiko looked at the two too. They were also perfect for each other, put aside the groping. Now Emiko felt left out. She didn't have a boyfriend or anyone she fancied. But then she was still new unlike Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku and Sango who seem to know each other the best.  
  
"Then what do you recommend, huh? Smart guy," asked Sango shooting a dangerous glare at Miroku.  
  
"How about Peter Pan?"  
  
Sango and Emiko both laughed. "And you call me a kid!" shouted Sango. Inuyasha and Kagome both joined in too.  
  
"What?!" asked Miroku while scratching the back of his head.  
  
"50 First Dates?" suggested Inuyasha. It was quiet for a while. Then all of them shook their heads.  
  
"Nah!" they all spilled.  
  
"What about Troy? I've been wanting to see that since we moved here," said Emiko looking up from her homework.  
  
All of them pretended to think.  
  
"Sure!" they all blurted out.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
After school, the gang headed straight to Kagome's restaurant. Kagome went first so that she could get dressed and sign in.  
  
Emiko, Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku were sitting on the bus stop waiting for the bus. Emiko was a little grateful for this day because she hadn't bumped into any of the bullies, that is if you don't count Sesshomaru sitting right beside you and Touya right in front of you. It had been a good class especially when Touya keeps looking at Emiko every now and then.  
  
Finally they heard the bus coming. Emiko held her bag.  
  
"C'mon Emiko, hop in!" she heard Sango say. Emiko climbed on the blue bus just before the door closed.  
  
Sango and Emiko sat beside each other while Inuyasha and Miroku sat behind them. Miroku was somehow pleading to sit beside one of the girls for a mysterious reason. But of coarse everyone knew what his reason was and disagreed with the monk.  
  
It was a quiet ride but it was quick too just as Kagome explained. They stopped in front of a big restaurant which had clear glass windows and a glass door framed with pure steel. It was big and looked newly built. There were plants arranged circling the store. There were a lot of tables inside and a couple outside. The ones outside was made by a different kind of wood and had an umbrella on top of it. There was also a big bold sign that said CHILL GROOVE CAFÉ.  
  
The gang entered the building with a ring of the bell. "Good afternoon Sir, Ma'am!" greeted a blonde usher. She wore a short pink skirt much like the one's the girls in Shikon High wear. She was also dressed in a long sleeved polo shirt, a pink vest was on top of it. She wore socks up to her ankles and white Nike rubber shoes.  
  
Emiko saw Miroku nod to the usher as she blushed. He flirted a little but was stopped by a very annoyed Sango. They all settled on a table near the window. Miroku beside Sango, to his joy. Facing them Inuyasha beside Emiko who was staring at the window blankly.  
  
"May I take your order?" said a familiar voice. Emiko too her head out of the clouds and looked to her left and saw Kagome in the same outfit as the usher a while ago. She looked pretty especially with her hair up.  
  
"Um ok, let's see, I'll order a MENU please," said Inuyasha sarcastically.  
  
Kagome hit her forehead with her hand. "Sorry guys, guess it slipped my mind!"  
  
"That's ok Kagome," said Sango. "Happens all the time!"  
  
"That's why I'm sorry," muttered Kagome as she went to get menus.  
  
She returned handing them a set of long rectangular carte du jour.  
  
"I'll order the special supreme double deck burger," said Inuyasha quickly. "And a can of coke."  
  
"Um... I'll have your tender juicy extra spicy burger, Kagome," said Sango. "And a cup of root beer as well."  
  
Kagome smiled and happily wrote their orders down. Then she looked at Emiko with a smile.  
  
"How about you Emi-chan?" she asked. "What will you have?"  
  
Emiko examined the menu. There were pictures of burgers everywhere so she assumed this was some kind of a burger place.  
  
"I want the Chill Groove Special burger please Kagome," she said. "And some iced tea too, please."  
  
Once again, Kagome smiled and jotted down what Emiko said.  
  
"And you Miroku?"  
  
"I guess I'll also have the Chill Groove Special Burger with extra fries," he said. "And a can of Diet coke please!"  
  
After that, Kagome left shouting their orders. After a couple of minutes, she came back with all of their food.  
  
Kagome distributed their orders and sat down herself.  
  
"Kagome? What are you eating?" asked Emiko as she opened up her burger which was wrapped in a white paper with the Chill Grill logo on it.  
  
"I'm sharing with her," said Inuyasha as he pulled Kagome to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and let her sit on his lap.  
  
Kagome blushed in the sudden action. She stiffened a bit but then relax.  
  
The gang spent their time chatting and eating their burgers. Inuyasha was feeding Kagome while Miroku was urging to do the same to Sango but all he got was a lump on the head. Emiko on the other hand was busy looking out the window daydreaming about what will happen tomorrow with Touya. Whether or not she admitted it but she was really looking forward to this date and wish it would come out to be a blast.  
  
"Oi, Emiko!" shouted Inuyasha. "What are you staring at out there. Is there some cute guy?"  
  
Emiko looked at her friends blushing a bit. Shaking her head, she went back to eating her burger still quite lost in thought.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Inuyasha drove his "gang" to the mall. Kagome was sitting on the passenger's seat listening to "This Love" by Maroon 5 and mouthing the lyrics. Emiko sat in between Miroku and Sango, again to Miroku's dismay.  
  
Inuyasha pulled the brake lever and looked at the back. "We're here!" he said as they went out of the car.  
  
Emiko was amazed by what she saw. The mall was gigantic! It was even bigger than all of the malls in Kyoto put together. She just couldn't wait to go inside!!!  
  
(Oh and by the way, the movie theatres are inside the mall. It is here in my country so I'm gonna make the movie houses inside the mall here too!!! ^.^!)  
  
As they stepped in the building, Emiko noticed the thousand people inside. She barley got through the crowd if it weren't for Kagome and Sango pulling her in.  
  
"So this is what a mall looks like in Tokyo," she said amazed. She looked up at the ceiling which was almost invisible because of the several floors built in the mall.  
  
"Pretty big huh?" asked Sango as she held Emiko's hand. "Well you haven't seen the largest mall here in Tokyo. It's as big as a whole town, ne Kagome?"  
  
Kagome nodded. "And they say that Keira is only the second biggest in the whole world!"  
  
Emiko was still in her own dreamland. Wonder if Touya's also taking me to the mall.  
  
While she was busy daydreaming and didn't notice Sango let go of her hand. She looked around to see a whole bunch of people she didn't know going this way and that. She walked in circles to see if her friends were still around. Just when she was about to give up, she heard a voice that sent shivers up her spine.  
  
"Well, well, well. The Ishikawa girl is lost. Isn't that wonderful!" said the voice. Emiko looked around but saw no one who she knew. Then she saw a guy with silver hair walk to her.  
  
"Oh, if it isn't Taisho the devil," stated Emiko fiercely as the two shot daggers at each other.  
  
"Hmpf!" growled Sesshomaru and walked away.  
  
"Wait!" shouted Emiko at the retreating enemy. But Sesshomaru pretended not to hear and kept on walking. Emiko ran to him. "Hey, mind showing me to the movie house?"  
  
Sesshomaru ignored her even more and started to walk faster. Soon, Emiko lost track of who she was following because of the crowd. Irritated, Emiko found a bench and sat down for a while. Why was that jerk here anyway? she asked herself. She looked around to find familiar faces, but she has failed again.  
  
"Looking for someone?" a voice asked. Emiko was sure it was a girl because of the high pitched tone and the excellent British accent.  
  
Emiko looked at her back to see a red headed girl. She had freckles all over her face but she had magnificent blue eyes.  
  
"No actually..." said Emiko in a soft voice embarrassed of what she was going to say. "I'm lost."  
  
The girl laughed. "Well no need to be shy about it!" she stated. "The first time I reached Tokyo I was like you too! Anyways, where do you need to go?"  
  
"To the movie house," replied Emiko.  
  
The girl stood up and looked at the mall directory. Emiko saw it and slapped herself mentally. How could she have forgotten there was something like that! How stupid was she?  
  
"It's on the 4th floor um-"  
  
"Emiko. I'm Emiko Ishikawa."  
  
"Nice to meet you Emiko," said the girl happily. "Now on you go if you don't want to be late!"  
  
With that, the girl left without even giving her name. Ah well, at least Emiko was now at ease.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
She ran towards the carpeted part of the floor seeing her friends. Emiko past another group of people before actually getting there.  
  
"Where have you been?" asked Sango as she looked at Emiko.  
  
"Kome guys. I got lost!" blurted Emiko.  
  
Kagome laughed. "It alright Emi-chan. It's normal."  
  
Miroku nodded. "Uh-huh. Reminds me, I still remember when I was young and-"  
  
Before he could continue, Sango shut his mouth. "Now Miroku, be a good boy if you don't want to miss the movie," she said annoyed.  
  
Miroku just nodded and Sango widowed her hand from on top of Miroku's mouth. Inuyasha once again led the group to cinema 4 where Troy was showing but right after Emiko bought a cup of coke.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (to tell you the truth, I haven't really watched Troy. It isn't even showing here. But I like the movie so...)  
  
It was the part where Brad Pitt was battling Orlando Bloom now. Everyone sat in silence, watching the movie in awe. Emiko was clutching her right hand in her left and was anxious for the fight to end. Just then, she felt like she had somewhere to go.  
  
"Um, Sango, I just need to go to the bathroom, ok?" she whispered to the girl beside her. Sango nodded, not taking her eyes off the screen.  
  
Emiko got up and skidded through the narrow path holding her coke on her right hand. "Excuse me," she muttered softly as she passed Miroku. Good thing he was busy watching the movie or Emiko could've been groped.  
  
Just when she was about to get out of the lane, she heard a very loud sound coming from the screen causing her to spill her half filled cup of coke on the guy in front of Miroku.  
  
"Komenasai!!!" she said, more like whispered. She looked at the person in front but couldn't really get a picture of that person.  
  
"Are you alright?" asked Emiko once again, getting out of the row and looked at the person she just spilled coke on.  
  
"I'm gonna be if you're going to buy me a new set of clothes," said a very familiar and low voice. Actually, it was so familiar that Emiko thought it was probably Sesshomaru. But she shook the bad thought out of her head and thought more optimistic.  
  
The man stood up. He was well built and his clothes were very fit because of the coke. He was taller than Emiko and, by what she saw, he was wearing khaki colored cargo pants, much like Sesshomaru was wearing a while ago. And again, Emiko shook her head not wanting to find out it was really him.  
  
"I'm really sorry, sir," she said once again and bowed. Suddenly, she felt a strong hand grip her arm and drag her out the movie house. She felt her arm twist a bit. It was painful.  
  
When they were outside, the man let go of Emiko. She griped her arm to stop it from swelling up. That really hurt, she thought. Then she looked up to see a really angry man standing in front of her. And if she wasn't in a nightmare, she just looked up to see a wet Sesshomaru...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Sorry I have to end it like this. I will not make any promises of updating early because I'm really not sure. Just please review and tell me what you think!!! Thank you!!! Ja... Ü 


	6. First Imporessions Never Good

kaikawaii- ok you all can sue me... I know the last chapter SUCKED!!! it was completely B-O-R-I-N-G!!! Anyways, I'll try to make up for it with this chappy... thanks for all the reviews!!! I'm really sorry for the late update... R&R!!!  
  
Disclaimer- I do not own the show Inuyasha or his brother Sesshomaru but I do own Emiko and Touya!   
  
Because of you  
  
Chapter 5- First Impressions... Never Good  
  
Emiko was walking on the Sakura Walk with her bag on her shoulder. Today was Friday, the day of her date with Touya Akira. She had to admit that she was really excited about this, but now, she was still lost in thought with what happened yesterday with "Evil Sesshomaru".  
  
Flashback  
  
After the white haired devil let go of his grasp with Emiko. He saw her stumble on the ground gripping her right arm.  
  
"Look Ishikawa, I know you meant that," he said coldly.  
  
Emiko stood in defense. "No I didn't!!! I didn't even know you were there!"  
  
Sesshomaru pretended not to hear her and just continued. "You need to buy me new clothes right now or you'll regret you were even born!"  
  
Emiko didn't quite believe that this guy could threaten her. She started walking to the comfort room but stopped when she saw Sesshomaru's piercing amber eyes. It was not just freaky but it looked like he was telling the truth.  
  
"Well, ok-" she started but was cut off when Sesshomaru grabbed her wrist tight and heaved her. She walked, well more like was dragged along the crowded floors of the mall. Sesshomaru wasn't quite concerned that Emiko was already bumping different strangers. He just kept going until they reached a particular shop.  
  
Emiko's eyes were as big as marbles when she saw the look of the store. It was large and clean. There were limited people inside, but they all looked rich. Their hair neatly done and a body guard behind each one of them.  
  
Sesshomaru tightened his grip on Emiko's hand. She winced at the pain as the guy in front of her entered the store. She didn't know if Sesshomaru was doing it on purpose but he slammed the glass door when Emiko was about to go in. Her hand was in between the two clear entrances while Emiko's head collided with it. She tried not to make a sound as the other customers exited the store. They were laughing at Emiko like she was some clown.  
  
The brunette opened the door for herself. She saw Sesshomaru shoot daggers at her, his golden eyes on her.  
  
Jees, she thought. What's his problem?  
  
Before she could blurt out some side comment, a guy stepped near Sesshomaru. He had blonde hair, which was obviously dyed because of some dark locks sprouting out and dull blue spheres that was hidden beneath yellow tinted shades.  
  
"Oh my, my," he said in a high pitched voice. Emiko felt her hand getting loose from Sesshomaru's. "If it isn't Sesshomaru. I didn't expect you here now. If you just called I would have fixed up something." He brushed a strand of his hair at the back of his ear and blinked his eyes a couple of times. It was obvious that he has flirting with Sesshomaru. Emiko stuck out her tongue in disgust and looked away. Men flirting with men was not a pretty sight.  
  
"No need," was Sesshomaru's cold response taking his eyes of the flirting man. Though he was used to it, he approve of it but he never said a word. "I need new clothes, Leonardo. This little girl spilled a cup of coke on me a while ago."  
  
Leonardo put a hand on his mouth looking shocked. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. No one messes with this man, remember that young lady." Emiko just looked at him. Leonardo went at the back of his counter and started typing something. Sesshomaru placed his elbow on the side of the table and looked at the sign of the store. The name SEICHI was embroidered on a piece of wood. It looked like carved metal hanging on the wall.  
  
"Well, Seshy, you're lucky that Ms. Yamada has submitted her new design today. You will be first to be seen wearing it, but I tell you, it will cost a lot," said Leonardo as he smiled evilly.  
  
"Don't worry Leonardo, this girl will pay for it all, I will see to it," said Sesshomaru while looking at the stunned Emiko. Emiko looked at him as well. Seeing his eyes, she nodded slowly looking at the ground. Her mother was going to KILL her!  
  
"Good, good," replied Leonardo snapping his fingers. Then a girl, not far from Emiko's age walked out of the stock room carrying a box of clothes. She had raven hair and the same sapphire eyes as Leonardo. She was in a long sleeved blouse and a black, velvet skirt. "Just change your clothes down there, Seshy and we will take care of the rest."  
  
Sesshomaru took the box angrily and looked at Leonardo in the eyes. "One more thing, Leo. Never call me Seshy."  
  
With that he strolled of to the dressing room leaving Emiko near the counter.  
  
"I've never seen him that grumpy before. He usually let's me call him Seshy," she heard Leonardo whisper to the girl beside him.  
  
"I'm surprised too. But I don't think that you have never seen him like that, bro," Leonardo's sister replied in the same manner.  
  
"You are right," Leonardo said grumpily. Emiko knew he wasn't so happy about what he was going to say. "I've seen him like that three years ago. With Rin."  
  
Emiko was a little shocked of what she was hearing. In her short stay, she never heard a word about this Rin. But when Leonardo said it, he seemed quite mad and at the same time irritated. Who was this Rin girl? Was she Sesshomaru's girlfriend? Or was she another enemy? Maybe sometime she could meet Rin. Many questions wandered around her mind until she saw Sesshomaru walk out of the dressing room. He was wearing a crimson t-shirt made from rare cloth with the store name printed over it. It was well done with a blue outline. He was also in matching cargo pants much like a while ago but better and this one was black. The design was fantastic and it fit him very well.  
  
Emiko turned to Leonardo who was practically drooling on his table (well, who wouldn't?!). When Sesshomaru started walking he went back to work calculating the cost.  
  
"Do you like it?" he asked.  
  
Sesshomaru stayed silent but nodded a little bit.  
  
"Well, that's going to be 3,789 yen," he said. Emiko snapped out of her day dream when she heard this. THREE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE YEN FOR THIS!!!!??? No way was she going to pay for that. Her bank account's gonna go bankrupt after she spends all this money and to think she has only spent less than seven days here.  
  
"Well Ishikawa?" said Sesshomaru in an impatient and irritated voice. "Aren't you going to pay?"  
  
Emiko got her leather wallet. Good thing she brought her money with her or who knew the consequences? She pulled out three 1,000 bills and 789 yen. All that was left with her was 5 yen and she was planning to save that.  
  
She handed the money to Leonardo who was happily counting in. She heard the door open and saw Sesshomaru walk out of the store, one hand in his pocket and the other carrying his wet clothes which was in the store's paper bag. She stared at him, her emerald eyes in wonder, until he was hidden behind another crowd of people...  
  
End of Flashback  
  
Emiko herself put her hands in her pocket thinking this. But what really nagged her most was the part about this Rin. She was surly not in her school or she would have seen or heard of her. Maybe she was his childhood friend or something.  
  
Well whoever she is, concluded Emiko. She must have been someone important to Sesshomaru, or no one would've brought it up.  
  
(If I end it here, would you kill me?)  
  
School was not much of a big deal. Emiko told Kagome and Sango why she was missing last night. She told them everything except the part of Rin. She just thought it wouldn't be right if you stuck your nose into another person's business, even if you were already dying to know.  
  
Mikami-sensei and Shimigawa-sensei didn't give them a mountain of homework just like the past days. Emiko was informed that it was a school policy not to give so many home works on Friday's because the weekend was the student's rest day. Emiko was more than glad to hear that because at least she could use a little spare time.  
  
After her mother found out about this whole Seshy thing, she has prohibited her daughter to use the phone. Emiko was lucky she just moved into town and that her mother had a soft spot in her heart or she was to be banned from the television and from seeing her friends too. Instead of that, she was only forbidden to go out with her friends IF she had homework.  
  
It was her chance now to go out with Touya. Good timing too. She told her mom she was going out with Kagome and Sango tonight because if her mother knew that she was going out, she's going to start being overprotective again and spy on the couple. For now, she was safe.  
  
Emiko was waiting for Touya under the shade of her favorite Sakura tree. She had told her friends that she was going out today but she didn't say with who. And believe it, it was more than hard to try to shut Sango's blabby mouth. But soon she persuaded them too to pretend she was with them if her mom ever called. Sango and Kagome said they could cover it up fine.  
  
She felt the soft breeze touch her face. She closed her eyes and tried to listen to the surroundings. It was already thirty minutes after class but students were still cramming inside the campus. But it didn't matter to Emiko as long as the thought she would be spending the night with a really handsome guy was in her mind.  
  
After another five minutes, she felt someone approach her. She slowly opened her eyes expecting it to be Touya. But unfortunately, it wasn't.  
  
"Oh hi Oni," Emiko sighed looking at the red headed guy in front of her. He was Oni Gumo, one of the boys in her class. Ever since her first day of school, Oni showed the whole class how fond he was of Emiko. He had offered to tour her around school and to introduce her to the other teachers. He also blushed whenever Emiko was at least three feet away. He was also Emiko's computer partner since her computer is currently broken.  
  
"Hey Miko-chan!" he said cheerfully. Oni also had the fad of calling Emiko, Miko-chan, which was, rather annoying for Emiko. But even if, she had never shown how irritated she was by covering it all up in the fashion of plastering a smile.  
  
"So what brings you here?" asked Emiko avoiding his glance. Although Emiko couldn't quite see him, she could feel him blushing because of the heat of the surroundings.  
  
Oni looked at the ground. "Well, after helping me out with my Moon essay, you told me you would be waiting for 'someone' under a certain tree and... well...um...I..." he couldn't finish his sentence and felt rather stupid with himself.  
  
Emiko just ate up all he said. It took a while for her to understand what he meant, and soon, she regretted she ever found out.  
  
She looked at Oni's desperate eyes. Emiko felt really sorry for the guy but he was rushing things a bit. It was only her first week at school, come to think of it, and she was already getting into lots of messes.  
  
"Actually Oni, I was waiting for my brother to finish his class. He's in the freshman year and my mom asked me to look after him after school," lied Emiko trying not to sound cold and angry at this misunderstanding. She looked at Oni who seemed like he was attacked by a thousand Youkai.  
  
Oni felt his heart being crushed and tears swell up in his eyes. He thought that after all the moves he had put on her this week, she would finally notice him. But no, he was still Mr. Invisible like always.  
  
"Sorry for giving you the wrong idea," added Emiko shortly as she bowed.  
  
Oni just nodded and ran fast. Poor guy, Emiko thought. He looked really desperate.  
  
"What was that all about?" a familiar voice asked. Emiko had just talked to the owner of the voice once, but she felt like she knew him too well already.  
  
"What took you so long?" asked Emiko turning around. Her face was very close to Touya who had his hands in his pocket, his shoulder bag on his shoulder.  
  
Emiko blushed and took a step away.  
  
Touya shrugged and looked at Emiko. "I guess it's that hard to try and make reasons with the gang," he said.  
  
Emiko understood what he meant and nodded. Touya took out his right hand from his pocket and extended it to Emiko like he did the first time they met. Emiko hesitated. What if anyone saw her and Touya together, holding hands? But then she shrugged the idea off and thought it was at least forty percent safe.  
  
She took Touya's extended hand and laced in hers. She blushed at her movement but it faded when she saw Touya smile at her. But that smile just sent her the massage that it was going to be ok. No need to worry.  
  
"Where are you taking me anyway, Touya?" Emiko asked looking at him.  
  
Touya's eyes were looking blankly at the road in front of them, his lips never erasing a smile.  
  
"That's gonna be a secret, Emiko Ishikawa," he answered grinning at Emiko.  
  
After a while, Emiko found herself speechless with what was in front of her. Touya brought her to a really elegant looking restaurant near the end of the city. It was in front of a gigantic beach and was packed with many people. The two took a short bus ride going there. Touya paid for both his and Emiko's fee.  
  
Emiko stepped in the store, still with Touya's hand entangled with her. As she pushed the glass door, a tiny bell rang and it signaled a waiter to come near them and serve them.  
  
A man with jet black hair and a pair of lavender eyes approached the two. He had a wide ear to ear smile on his face and wore a black suit.  
  
"Konnichiwa and welcome to Sofia Gardens!" he said gleefully. "I am Van and I will be your waiter for today. Table for how many Sir?"  
  
"Just for two Van," replied Touya smiling. Emiko scanned the surroundings. The place was big and orderly. People, mostly couples, were sitting on a well made wooden chair and had their hands on a black sheet covered round table. There was a small fountain at the center of restaurant and plants were surrounding the place. Vines were also crawling down the freshly painted pasty colored wall. It looked beautiful.  
  
Van assisted them to a table at the end of the restaurant. Their place had a wonderful view of the ocean. They could easily see it through the clear glass windows.  
  
"Sugoi..." Emiko managed to say. Touya just smiled seeing his date was happy.  
  
Van handed them the menus. Emiko was astounded to see so many food listed down the lengthwise piece of paper. She scanned it noticing it was a seafood restaurant. Well, it wasn't much of a surprise knowing that the location was before a pool of water.  
  
"What would you like Emiko?" asked Touya. Emiko looked at the menu once again, not really sure what to eat. She wanted crabs and some calamari (sp?) squid but the prices were so high.  
  
And as though she said it aloud, Touya spoke for her. "One garlic cooked crab, make it fresh please. And a plate of your special calamari."  
  
Van was pleased to write it down. "Anything else, sir?"  
  
"Also seafood fried rice and boneless fish. I want that overcooked and crispy, Van," added Touya. "That would be all."  
  
"How about drinks?" suggested Van.  
  
"Oh yes. I'll have bottomless Iced Tea. How about you Emiko?"  
  
"Just plain water, thank you," Emiko said with a smile.  
  
Touya nodded at Van as if gesturing him to leave. Holding the paper of orders and gently taking the menus, he strolled to the kitchen to get their orders ready.  
  
Touya saw Emiko stare at the view outside. He was really glad that she seemed to like the place. But then you can never be so sure. He put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hands.  
  
It was Touya's words that snapped Emiko out of cloud nine. "Do you like the place?"  
  
Emiko looked at Touya's turquoise orbs. They looked so perfect. Slowly, she nodded giving him a smile. "It the most beautiful place I've ever seen since I arrived here at Tokyo," she said.  
  
"Next to standing in front of a mirror that is," complimented Touya. Emiko blushed furiously at the statement. Touya was only the second boy to say she was pretty. The first was her father of coarse if you don't count when people say her name. (A/N:confusing? you'll have to wait to find out!Ü)  
  
"So is it ok to eat here?" Emiko asked stupidly changing the subject.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Touya, taken back by her question.  
  
"I mean, it's a nice place and it's formal. Don't you think we ought to change our clothes first?" she asked.  
  
Touya looked at himself. He was still wearing his school uniform and so was Emiko. "No, it's fine. I often go here, wearing this. You see, my uncle owns this place," explained Touya smiling.  
  
Emiko smiled too, slapping herself mentally for asking that question. But then Touya must be really rich for his uncle to own this place. Even if he didn't exactly say it specifically, his uncle was still family, therefore, his family owns this place.  
  
"As in the whole place?" questioned Emiko, curious.  
  
"Yup," answered Touya simply. "My uncle renovated this whole place, including the beach."  
  
Emiko was too surprised to speak. But then why should she be? Miroku and Inuyasha explained it before. Akira Touya was one of the richest people in school. Turning her gaze away from the person in front of her, she looked outside once again.  
  
She felt really good with Touya, whether if it was a date or not. She was always at ease with him, especially because of his smile. That smile told her that nothing could go wrong. Touya was the exact opposite of Sesshomaru who was cold and mysterious. Some part of Emiko wished that Sesshomaru was Touya and she was sitting in front of him right now.  
  
Fat chance.  
  
The food was also great. Van had served them all their orders in about fifteen minutes and Emiko and Touya enjoyed the rest of the time alone.  
  
"So Emiko," started Touya as he stopped eating a piece of his crab. "Tell me more about yourself."  
  
Emiko looked up from her plate of fish. "I was born on the fifth of September (by the way, school here starts at June and ends at March. that's the way it is here so I'm doing it there too.) and I have a younger brother, Naoko."  
  
Touya smiled. "It must be really fun having a sibling," he said and took another spoon of his crab.  
  
"No, not really. But how come you say that?"  
  
"Well, you aren't much of a common sense person are you?" asked, more like stated Touya. Emiko shrugged. "I'm an only child, silly."  
  
Emiko looked at her skirt ashamed. How could she let a point like that slip?  
  
"It's alright Emiko. I know you're a little nervous about our date, and so am I. But I want you to at least feel a little calmer to me. I'm someone you can trust, believe me."  
  
Emiko thought about it. She knew she was already calm around him but there was still something inside her that told her that she wasn't supposed to be here. Touya seemed to be a nice guy overall but how come her friends keep on warning her to stay away from him? She plastered a smile on her face so that Touya wouldn't notice her reluctance and looked out the window, lost in thought.  
  
Touya saw Emiko hesitate for a while. She smiled at him halfhearted and looked away. Touya frowned at this. He assumed she would've trusted him by now. But then again, only a week has passed.  
  
Looking rather gloomier, he dug in his food, just like Emiko, lost in thought.  
  
After eating the heaviest meal she ever had, Touya took Emiko for a walk. They both strolled along the soft sand of the sea, their shoes in their hand.  
  
There was an awkward silence between them, and Touya couldn't stand it any longer.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" blurted Touya, which was the first question on his mind.  
  
Emiko turned to him as if she was surprised he was there. She looked deeper into his blue eyes and shrugged.  
  
Touya sighed in defeat. He admitted that he wasn't the mysterious type of person in his gang, much like Sesshomaru. And he wasn't much similar to Kouga either, who was known for his big, talkative mouth. He was just, well, he also didn't know the answer to this one.  
  
Suddenly, Emiko started to run, not very fast though. She felt the cold night sand on her feet as it sunk deeper. She stopped when she was in front of a medium sized wall that separated the ocean, from land and started to climb.  
  
Touya was startled as he witnessed Emiko climb keenly on the big marble wall. He walked cautiously towards her wondering what she was doing.  
  
The long haired brunet was now standing on the cool pale wall. She closed her eyes and breathe hard. This was what she wanted. Peace.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Touya.  
  
Emiko looked down at him. She squatted to lower herself and then sat down, her long legs hanging from the wall.  
  
"Nothing, Touya," she said and smiled. "I just wanted to see something."  
  
Touya himself climbed the wall and stood up. He looked around but failed to see anything, just the dark sky and the rest of the beach which narrowed down to almost the end of Tokyo.  
  
"I can't see anything," whined Touya who sounded really eager to know what was on Emiko's mind.  
  
"Well," she said closing her eyes once more. "There's nothing to see."  
  
Touya's brow was now crossed. Was the food that bad and it made her crazy? She just said that she wanted to see something, but then she said there was nothing to see. He looked again but was again unsuccessful to see anything at all.  
  
Waving the white flag once again, he just sat beside Emiko muttering, "She's crazy."  
  
Emiko's ears picked it up and she laughed. Touya was now even more puzzled.  
  
"I'm bored," Emiko said resting her head on Touya's shoulder, blushing a bit.  
  
"I'm sorry, Miss Picky, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to go," answered Touya putting an arm around the girl sitting next to him.  
  
"Don't get me wrong," she said smuggling a bit more to Touya. "I love this place. I'm just bored because we don't have anything to talk about."  
  
"I see," was the only words that came out of Touya's mouth.  
  
Emiko crossed her legs thinking of something to talk about. Then something flashed in her mind. "Hey, Touya?" she asked.  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"Do you know something about someone named Rin. I heard someone talk about her and Taisho before but I don't really know who she is."  
  
Touya was surprised of what topic she had brought up. Of all the ideas, this has come to her mind. He was a bit uncertain of his answer because he knew that if he blurted something about Rin, Sesshomaru WILL definitely KILL him.  
  
"I- I don't think I'm the one that should tell you who she is," stated Touya. Emiko groaned hard. She was really look forward to actually getting some hints on who she really was. "But if you really want to know who she is, then ask Sesshomaru himself."  
  
Emiko almost fell off the wall hearing this. She'd rather do suicide or something before she could dare talk to Sesshomaru. And she knew the only answer she would get was either a glare, or absolutely no answer at all.  
  
Touya saw her face scrunch up a little and chuckled at her expression.  
  
Emiko pouted at him and looked away as her thoughts wandered off to some place else.........................  
  
"How sweet Akira," a very low but cruel voice stated.  
  
"How's it going?" said another, whose voice was even lower and colder than the first.  
  
"Just as planned," the first voice replied. "They seem to be getting a hang of each other there, talking about something."  
  
The owner of the second voice scowled. He had heard a glimpse of what they were saying which included his name and someone related to him in the statement. "I can't believe how gullible that Ishikawa girl is," he said looking rather, colder.  
  
"I can't believe it either. She fell for the trick. I guess I'll also have to give Akira a point to that. He's acting like an innocent guy now."  
  
"Whatever," said the second voice once again as he stood up and walked away. "Just be sure that the plan will go as planned, without any interruptions."  
  
The owner of the first voice looked at his comrade walk away. Did he hear his statement right. He must've. His friend was keeping something from him especially with that tone of uncertainty. But even so, he had had worst times with him.  
  
"Don't worry my friend," he muttered just enough for only himself to hear. "I will see to it that everything goes according to plan. Watch out Ishikawa, the worst is yet to come..."  
  
DUN, DUn, dun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is the two planning. What will happen to Emiko? Of course you already know who the owner of the two voices are. I won't tell you if you know then. And if you're confused about that "Rin" part a bit, don't worry, someone will explain it in the near future. Just hope you enjoyed this chappy... and pray that I get to update sooner... I'm really having trouble with my schedule, there's more to do. 'nyways, take care all of you out there! GOD BLESS and don't forget to review this chappy!!! Ü 


	7. Playing Matchmaker

A/N: thank you for all the reviews and sorry for the late update. anyways, this chapter is for Miroku/Sango and Inuyasha/Kagome fans (I am included!!!). There are a bit Emiko stuff but it's mostly about the romance of those two couples, a hundred percent fluff! please still read it... R&R!!!  
  
All disclaimers apply...  
  
Because of you Chapter 6- Playing Matchmaker  
  
Ayayay... there they go again, fighting like cats and dogs, even at the middle of the class...  
  
Emiko was watching Miroku and Sango, who were seated at the edge of the classroom poking each other with their pencil. Miroku started it, obviously trying to get the answers to the worksheet out of Sango. But when Sango didn't even turn around at first, he poked her more. Sango was getting irritated that she finally paid attention to him and shot him a glare but that apparently didn't stop him from doing so. And that's where their war started. It was a miracle that Mikami-sensei hasn't even noticed them. Guess being in the edge of the room does help too.  
  
Emiko looked at Inuyasha, who was beside her. He too was looking strangely at the couple at the opposite side.  
  
Then she looked at Kagome, who was not paying a spec attention to Miroku and Sango but was doing her work. Who could blame her for being such a nerd sometimes?  
  
Afterwards, Emiko shot a quick glance at her seatmate who was busy doing his work as well, not paying any attention to anyone in class but himself and the teacher.  
  
Emiko sighed looking at the blackboard again which was half blocked by Touya's head. She was bored to death with math but didn't want to fall asleep and get another detention again.  
  
After a few more minutes, the bell finally rang.  
  
"Don't forget to finish your seatwork at home. You'll be passing that on Tuesday!" shouted Mikami-sensei to the retreating class.  
  
"At last! Class is done!" Emiko heard some students say as they left the room. Emiko caught a swift glace of Touya as he walked pass her. She smiled at him remembering what happened last Friday...  
  
Flashback  
  
The last few hours of their date was spent on watching fireworks, which was lit every night from 6 o'clock to 10. Emiko really had a great time with Akira Touya this evening and the thought of doing this again was even more exciting.  
  
The two were walking towards Emiko's house hand in hand without conversation. The cold autumn wind passed their faces as they took another step nearer.  
  
"You shouldn't have brought me home you know," said Emiko.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"You've done enough for me already. I mean, you paid for the bus twice and for the restaurant too," replied Emiko.  
  
Touya gave a small chuckle. "Don't worry Emiko, it's alright. I've spent more before, plus, the restaurant is half free considering my family runs it too."  
  
Emiko just sighed. She felt cold already especially because she wasn't really used to this kind of weather. Kyoto was more of a summer sun place, not a winter cold one.  
  
Touya felt Emiko shiver and put an arm around her shoulder, taking his hand off hers.  
  
"You must be cold," he whispered. Emiko nodded and moved closer to her date.  
  
It seemed like forever until their reached Emiko's house. Actually, they stopped a block away cautious of Mrs. Ishikawa watching them at this very moment.  
  
"I don't know how to thank you for this wonderful evening, Touya," said Emiko as she withdrew herself from Touya's hold.  
  
"Just take care of yourself Emiko and remember to bring a jacket next time," replied Touya.  
  
Emiko's heart skipped a beat at the words 'next time' but just threw it off her mind.  
  
"Look who's talking," she said and smiled. "Like you have a jacket. Better you safe than me or else I'll be getting more from Naraku."  
  
Touya laughed. "Well, if I get sick, will you be my nurse?" he asked.  
  
Emiko blushed hard, thankful that the dark hid her crimson face. "Hai," she said softly but her voice stayed gentle.  
  
Touya suddenly hugged her and whispered, "Then I'll be more than happy to get sick."  
  
Emiko blushed even more if that was possible. She let herself be hug by Touya but was let go soon.  
  
However, she felt a kiss planted on her forehead. "Oyasumi," she heard Touya say. She nodded and walked to her house sensing a funny feeling in her heart...  
  
End of Flashback  
  
Emiko felt a pair of hands tug her.  
  
"Emi-chan, what's wrong?" a familiar voice asked.  
  
Emiko snapped out of her "flashbacks" and back to reality noticing that the classroom was already deserted. She was facing Sango who had her hands on her shoulder. Miroku and Inuyasha were near the door; waiting for the girls while Kagome was still packing her things.  
  
"N-Nothing Sango-chan," replied Emiko blankly as she got her things and went to the two boys.  
  
"Ne, aren't you acting strange lately," said Inuyasha looking suspiciously at Emiko.  
  
Emiko tried her best not to look guilty. "Whatever do you mean Inu- chan?" she said in her sweetest voice ever.  
  
Emiko's little nickname didn't amuse Inuyasha. And "FEH!" was the only answer Emiko got.  
  
A week past like a breeze. School was getting even more boring than ever but that didn't keep anyone from falling a sleep, or playing hooky, even for "the bullies" and Emiko, who looked really forced to listen and answer the teacher.  
  
She and Touya had another memorable "date" near the pier. This time it was shorter since Emiko's mother and friends were being more suspicious than ever. They started throwing questions like "where have you been?" or "who are you going out with?" Emiko would just simply change the subject but the longer she was keeping this from them, the harder it was to get them to shut up about this topic.  
  
Emiko sat on her bed with a pack of cards in her hands. She was setting it up for the game of Solitaire, really feeling bored. Suddenly, someone entered her room.  
  
The young brunette didn't even bother to look for she knew who barged in her door.  
  
"Konnichiwa Naoko-kun," she greeted half-heartedly as she flipped one card and place another on top of it.  
  
"What'cha doin' nee-san?" Naoko asked, in a very cute voice, as he sat beside his sister.  
  
"Nothing," answered Emiko not taking her gaze away from her cards. "It's a bit boring today, ne?"  
  
Naoko nodded even though he knew his sister didn't see it. Emiko just sat there playing cards for a while.  
  
"Nee-san," started Naoko. Emiko was still playing her cards. "How's your school? The past few weeks I have noticed you get busier and busier everyday. And one time, I over heard you and mom talking, er, arguing about something about money."  
  
This caught Emiko's attention. She looked at Naoko's blue worried eyes. "Well, just having trouble fitting in, you know. There are some good people in school but there are a couple of bad guys too. I've told you before about the guys who tolerate rules right? (–Naoko nodded-) And, I'm just having some problems with that." Emiko paused and looked at her cards. "What about you Naoko?"  
  
Naoko flashed his kawaii(cute) smile at his sister. "It's going great nee-san! I have new friends already! One is named Sota and the other Kohaku!!!"  
  
Emiko grinned at his brother too. She was glad that he was having the time of his life at school, well, that's what the smile showed anyways. And she even had a feeling that she heard those names somewhere before.  
  
Just when Naoko was about to ask another set of questions, Emiko's mom called for her.  
  
"Emiko! There's a telephone here. It's Kagome!!!"  
  
Emiko quickly laid her cards on her table. The cards got all messed up but she didn't bother to fix it and reached for her computer chair. There was a broken computer in front of it and a caramel hued telephone. She picked it up and shouted, "Got it!"  
  
Once she heard her mom put down the phone, she greeted her friend. Naoko walked out of her room after fixing Emiko's cards.  
  
"Konnichiwa Emi-chan!" greeted Kagome in return. "What's up?"  
  
Emiko shrugged, forgetting she was talking to someone on the phone. She quickly answered a "nothing much" and slapped her forehead for being so forgetful.  
  
"Oh yeah, Inu-kun is also here. I've got three way. Say hi!"  
  
There was a short silence but then, Emiko heard a soft "feh" and was sure that Inuyasha was there and alive.  
  
"So why'd you call?" Emiko asked twisting the cord of the phone.  
  
"Well, tomorrow is Sunday right? Since I know everyone is SO bored, I'm inviting you to my place!"  
  
"Great!" squealed Emiko. "I'm sure your house is wonderful! And you're right on the 'bored' thing."  
  
"Don't think so elegant, girl. Kag's house is like an abandoned warehouse if you ask me," snapped Inuyasha.  
  
"Hey!" shouted Kagome. "It's not my fault that my ancestors were some kind of priests."  
  
"Who cares?" said Emiko. These two surly don't act like a couple. Guess they still have to settle down a few things, thought Emiko.  
  
"But that's not the only reason I've called," said Kagome. "You see, Inu-kun has just informed me on how Miroku and Sango-chan were acting this week during classes, and how childish I say. Anyways, don't you agree that they are the perfect couple?"  
  
"Yup!" said Emiko. "Ever since I saw those two, I knew they were perfect for one another... though, um-"  
  
There was a short silence that was interrupted by Inuyasha's impatient "what?"  
  
"Ok, just don't laugh," Emiko said, her face suddenly feeling very hot. "I kinda had a little thing for Miroku."  
  
A loud gasp was heard from Kagome while Inuyasha didn't say anything.  
  
"Feh," he sounding like a know-it-all. "I knew it. You're pulse was quickening every time you saw him."  
  
"Don't worry, he's for Sango now!" added Emiko, not trying to sound like a flirt or anything.  
  
"That good to know Emiko-chan," said Kagome. "I'm used to it anyways. Miroku always has this impact on girls! Even me!"  
  
Kagome started laughing.  
  
"WHAT?" shouted Inuyasha, angrily. "YOU ACTUALLY FELT SOMETHING FOR THAT PERVERTED, WANNABE HEARTTHROB? KAGOME, I CAN'T BELIVE YOU, YOU LIED TO ME, AFTER CONFESSING TO YOU. HOW COULD YOU BE SO UNLOYAL AND DISHONEST TO ME KA -"  
  
"Before you say anything foul, I'm just gonna tell you that I was just joking!" Kagome said and chuckled at the same time. "Inu-kun, you know that you're my first and last koi!"  
  
Though Emiko and Kagome couldn't see him, it was obvious that he was blushing brick hard.  
  
"Anyways Kagome, I just thought of a good idea," said Emiko.  
  
"What is it?" Kagome and Inuyasha asked in unison.  
  
"Why don't we play matchmaker?" Emiko suggested.  
  
The couple at the other end of the line was thinking about it.  
  
"Why not?!" replied Kagome happily. "We can do it exactly tomorrow. And I know exactly what we will do."  
  
She said told Emiko and Inuyasha her plan as quietly as she can so nobody in her house could hear. The two were both VERY attentive because at last, Miroku and Sango's frequent quarreling would stop bugging them...  
  
"Mom! I'm leaving now!!!" yelled Emiko her left hand at the bar of the stairs.  
  
"Ok dear! Take care! Who's going bring you there again?" Mrs. Ishikawa shouted back.  
  
"I'm just gonna take the bus. Kagome-chan said her house is just a few blocks from here!"  
  
"Ok, bye honey!"  
  
"Bye mom! Bye Naoko-chan!"  
  
"Sayonara!!!" Naoko shouted. Emiko slipped on her white rubber shoes and walked out of the house.  
  
After about three minutes in the bus, it actually ran out of gas. Emiko decided to walk to Kagome's house and got the three minute ride for free. Walking was definitely better than pushing the bus with the other passengers, right?  
  
While walking, she passed a really big house, freshly painted beige. It had a nice and wide garden that a gardener was taking care of. There was also a big garage where three motorbikes were parked. The first one was painted red, the other black with a design of crimson fire and the last one was blue, which looked strangely familiar.  
  
Suddenly, Inuyasha walked out of the house, in his red double shirt and khaki cargo pants.  
  
"Hey Inuyasha!" Emiko shouted and waved at him.  
  
Inuyasha first looked really shocked to see Emiko there, outside his brown gate, but then smiled a little and walked towards her.  
  
"So this is your house?" asked Emiko.  
  
Inuyasha nodded, putting his hands in his pocket and opened the gate. The gardener stood up and helped him, bowing respectfully before doing so.  
  
Emiko's eyes were wide with shock as she saw the gardener bow to Inuyasha like he was royalty. Nobody has ever informed her that Inuyasha was this rich.  
  
"What are you doing on this street, Emiko?" asked Inuyasha, joining Emiko on the sidewalk.  
  
"Well, I thought of taking a different route to go to Kagome's house. An old woman on the bus told me that this street was much safer to walk on than the others," Emiko replied.  
  
"That's because this place is heavily guarded," said Inuyasha as he started walking. "Many politicians live on this side of town."  
  
Emiko started walking herself, sliding her feet beside Inuyasha. "So your father is a politician?" she asked not looking at Inuyasha.  
  
"No," he replied. "He's dead."  
  
Emiko felt a pang of guilt hit her. She shouldn't have asked that stupid question. Who even cares if his father was a politician or not? For all she knew, she could've offended Inuyasha.  
  
"Don't worry, I've accepted the loss of my father anyways," said Inuyasha sensing Emiko's guilt.  
  
"Who do you live with then?" asked Emiko looking at Inuyasha. He didn't look back though.  
  
"My brother. He's such a jerk in different ways. Never had a day that we were in good terms," replied Inuyasha, his tone now with antagonism.  
  
"What the name of your brother?" asked Emiko. She couldn't hide her curiosity anymore. Inuyasha has never spoken to her this much. His "speeches" never contained anything about his life either.  
  
Inuyasha was first hesitant to tell Emiko that Sesshomaru is his brother. But she was his friend after all, she had every right to know the truth.  
  
"Well, his name is-"  
  
Before Inuyasha could continue, a loud scream was heard. Emiko found herself face to face with an enormous staircase that looked like it was even older than her ancestors.  
  
"That must be Sango again," Inuyasha said calmly, climbing up the stairs. "This leads to Kagome's house by the way."  
  
Emiko looked surprised and in high spirits at the same time. But she joined Inuyasha climb up the stairs anyway.  
  
"Now I know why you said her house looked like an abandoned warehouse," she said giggling. And to her amazement, Inuyasha did too.  
  
"Miroku you HENTAI!!!!" Sango shouted slapping Miroku with all her might.  
  
Sango arrived an hour earlier than their said meeting time and unfortunately, Miroku did too. For some reason he found out that Sango would go earlier than expected.  
  
"Sango, I think you can stop now," said Kagome as she entered her room carrying a tray full of different kinds of junk food. "The poor guy's not even conscious anymore."  
  
Sango looked at Miroku, surprised that he was already out cold. She sighed loudly and flopped down Kagome's pink bed.  
  
"Sometimes you just better give him a break," advised Kagome. She laid the tray on her desk, got a pack of chips and sat beside Sango.  
  
"He should be the one giving me a break," she sighed.  
  
"Well, well, well, early aren't we?" asked a very familiar manly voice.  
  
Kagome looked at her door to see Inuyasha standing there, Emiko running to him, panting and sweating.  
  
"You didn't have to leave me there," she said. "It's like I walked the Great Wall of China in minutes!"  
  
Kagome and Sango laughed. Inuyasha simply ignored her and went over to Kagome and kissed her cheek. The raven-haired girl smiled and motioned Inuyasha to sit beside her.  
  
"So, what have you been doing?" Emiko asked Kagome, pulling her friend's computer chair and sat on it, inversely.  
  
"Nothing really," answered Sango. "Just hangin'."  
  
"Nothing huh?" said Emiko suspiciously looking at the boy who was seated on the opposite of Kagome's bed, and who was really pale.  
  
Sango flashed a guilty smiled at Emiko and started eating Kagome's chips. Emiko and Inuyasha looked at each other as if asking if they missed anything. Kagome on the other hand just smiled.  
  
"So, everyone's here now!" she said enthusiastically. "Time to play some games and have fun, ne?"  
  
Emiko, Inuyasha, Sango and even Miroku nodded. All turned to his direction just to see he was slowly opening his eyes.  
  
"Ok then, I'll just get something," said Kagome.  
  
After a few minutes, Kagome came back carrying what looked like a fish bowl with five pieces of paper in it.  
  
"We're going to play Truth or Dare everyone!" she shouted and sat at the center of the room. Sango, Emiko, Inuyasha and Miroku moved towards her, forming a circle.  
  
"This is how it goes," Kagome announced. "I'll pass this bowl around starting with me, to the right. I'll pick a name from the bowl and ask them to do whether Truth or Dare. Get it?"  
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
Kagome used this as a signal and put her hand in the bowl. She picked a piece of paper and unfolded it.  
  
"Sango," she called. "Truth or Dare?"  
  
The girl thought for a while. If she picked truth, Kagome might ask her something funny and embarrassing. But if she picked dare...  
  
"Dare," said Sango competitively.  
  
"Ok," stated Kagome innocently, secretly winking at Inuyasha and Emiko. "I dare you to lock yourself up in my bathroom for about, um, ten minutes."  
  
Sango smiled. This was going to be easy, she thought.  
  
But that was before Kagome added something. "With Miroku."  
  
Sango almost had a heart attack. Stay in a room with that pervert, ALONE?! No way was she going to do that!  
  
"I know what you're doing Kag-chan," she said and pointed her index finger at her best friend. Kagome tried to look as innocent as she can look. "You're playing matchmaker aren't you? Well, it won't work. Know why? Because I'd probably just die before I actually STAY in a room with that dirty PERVERT ALONE! Give me another dare if you don't want our friendship to end here!"  
  
Kagome was taken back by what she said. For their whole life together, she had never said those words aloud, and even in front of Miroku himself. Usually, Sango would just chase her around for asking her to do such and "impossible" dare.  
  
Kagome sighed in defeat. Surly, she didn't want their friendship to end just like this. She knew Sango would not say something untrue because once she had threatened Kagome that if she didn't stop babbling about how "Kawaii" Inuyasha was she would kiss Inuyasha right in front of her. And she did the following day, but both spent the rest of their free time washing their mouths.  
  
"Ok Sango, you win," Kagome admitted. "It's true we're playing matchmaker if that's what you want to hear. Your dare is the same, but without Miroku."  
  
Sango smirked at Kagome and marched to the bathroom, shutting the door loudly. As soon as she did, all heads turned to a very lonely Miroku.  
  
"Thanks you guys for actually helping me get Sango's heart even if this will be the first and last time," he said obviously trying to stop tears from falling. Everyone knew that Miroku was such a sensitive person, but when it comes to Sango, his sensitivity just fades away. However, calling him a 'dirty pervert' and stating that she would rather die than to be in a room with him was a totally different story.  
  
"That's alright Miroku-chan, there are other girls out there," said Emiko, Inuyasha giving her a suspicious glace.  
  
"Like who? Yura Konbashi? Or Meia Shai?" he said looking at the ground. "Emiko-chan, you must be corrected if you think that there are other girls that could match my Sango."  
  
"Then don't give up easily Miroku, try harder," said Kagome.  
  
"To tell you the truth I already exceeded my limit of determination and patience just for Sango. I don't think I can do this anymore. Ever since I started courting her, there was no sign of a 'yes' that she is 'eventually' going to say. I've looked at her eyes once, while asking her to date me, and there was absolutely no hint of care, like or even... love."  
  
There was silence for a while, but was ended by Miroku's continues sobs. He had already given up, in translation to what he was saying a while ago. Emiko, Kagome and Inuyasha had noticeably planned all this, starting with Sango's dare, but Miroku being offended was not and never will be part of the plan.  
  
"Yare, yare," said Inuyasha comfortably, patting his friend on the back. "There will be another, I'm sure. God will not let you live without a perfect woman in your life, there just has to be another. Just wait for-"  
  
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" shouted Miroku, his face full of tears. He was now on his feet looking very red and offended. "SANGO IS DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER GIRLS OUT THERE. I KNOW BECAUSE I'VE MET THEM! I KNOW THEY'RE ALL SO PRETTY BUT SANGO'S PRETTY TOO, INSIDE AND OUT. SHE'S SMART AND FUNNY. SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE WANTS AND GOES FOR IT. OTHERS CANNOT MATCH HER INNER STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION. AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE?"  
  
Emiko, Inuyasha and Kagome shook their heads, very surprised of Miroku's outburst.  
  
Miroku sat down once again and looked at each one of them. "I love her."  
  
Sango was seated near the bathtub waiting for Kagome and the other's to tell her that it has already been ten minutes. For a while she could just hear silence out there but then she heard Miroku say something.  
  
Sango at first didn't care, but when he was finished with his sentence, she could easily tell that there was a large tone of hurt in his voice.  
  
She heard more of their conversation and was really shocked of what she was hearing. Miroku's "tantrum" alarmed her the most. Everything he said, it all seemed so true.  
  
Maybe it really is, Sango, she said to herself. Nah.  
  
Just then, she heard three short, but powerful words said by someone. It was a bit unclear at first, but Sango uncovered the words after a while.  
  
"I love her."  
  
Her heart skipped a beat at the moment.  
  
"I love her."  
  
The words repeated in her brain like some kind of broken radio.  
  
Nevertheless, Sango felt something tug her heart. The same feeling she felt when she first met Miroku. The same feeling she felt when he was near her. The same thing she felt whenever he would smile, or laugh, or even scratch the back of his head idly. Most importantly, what is this feeling?  
  
Could it be... ... ... love?  
  
For a moment there was a quick silence. Then Sango heard a loud bang. It seemed like someone just exited the room.  
  
As fast as she could, Sango opened the door of the bathroom. She looked around to see only Inuyasha, Kagome and Emiko seated there, all with different expressions, blended all together.  
  
Not wasting time, Sango ran to the door and followed Miroku out of the house.  
  
(O mai God! This is taking SO long. My hands are so tiered... sobs)  
  
As Miroku emerged from Kagome's house, he quickly felt a drop of water coming from above.  
  
Great, he thought. It's raining.  
  
He looked at the sky as more droplets of water fell down, washing away his tears and sadness.  
  
After Sango slammed the door of Kagome's bathroom, Miroku felt like it was the end of the world. He knew that ever since he would start courting Sango, he would be dead as a doornail, but he took the risk anyway. Wasn't it a saying that NOTHING is impossible?  
  
Guess that's not true then, said Miroku mentally.  
  
Miroku took another step slowly, wishing that Sango would just barge out of the door and hug him. Tell him that she loved him as much as he does.  
  
"Miroku!" someone shouted. Sango barged out of Kagome's house and ran towards Miroku, starting to get soaked in the rain too.  
  
"Sango?" Miroku asked starting to feel dizzy.  
  
It was Sango and she hurriedly ran to Miroku but stopped right in front of him.  
  
"I just wanted to say, komenasai," she started, not daring to look at her lover in the eyes. "And that I have a confession to make to you."  
  
Miroku's eyes were suddenly as wide as marbles. Oh, how wishes could easily be granted!  
  
"You see, ever since, well, ever since I set my eyes on you, um, there was this, well, certain, er, feeling that I, well, felt," Sango stammered. "I ignored it completely for the past years, afraid to find out what the outcome of this "feeling" will be. But when I heard you a while ago, you were the one who sorted everything out for me.  
  
"Miroku, I- I- I-I-I-I-"  
  
"Before you say another 'I', I just want to inform you that, I know," Miroku said as he flung his arms around Sango. Sango did the same to him as well.  
  
"I love you too," whispered Miroku.  
  
!!! (I can't BELIEVE I'm not ending this yet! .;!)  
  
Sesshomaru griped the pole of his balcony tighter. Tomorrow they were going to do their big "scheme", as Naraku called it. But he was having second thoughts on doing this.  
  
Ever since that Ishikawa-girl set foot on Tokyo, all she did was bump into him "accidentally" and he couldn't stop the feeling that this already happened before.  
  
When he saw his half-brother walk with Emiko this morning, he felt like he could crush Inuyasha into a thousand pieces. Why? He didn't even know.  
  
All he knew was if he kept on seeing Emiko, he would eventually go crazy with all these thoughts circling his head. He knew he would only love one person. Wait... love? When did that word come out of his vocabulary again? After last year's accident, he swore never to love again. But was this how he really felt?  
  
No, he thought, strongly determined to deny any feelings he has for this girl.  
  
NO. I DON'T LOVE HER!  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Glad it's over huh? How come every chapter, I always seem to end up with an ending that has something to do with Sesshomaru? Hmmm... Anyways, are you confused 0.0? If you are, I only have one hint for you. That "love" Seshy's talking about is none other than ---. Don't worry, Seshy'll explain it in the upcoming chapters. Just tell me what you think with this one, ok?! Please review!!! Ciao! Ja! Bai-bai!!! 


	8. Akira's Stunt

Kaikawaii: Ei guys! Good to know that you liked the last chappy! Well, this chap. is what you've all been waiting for. Naraku's big stunt. What will happen? Read to find out. R&R!!!  
  
Dedicated to all my fwends out there, my family and best friend Nikki Ferriols!  
  
Miroku: I think I liked the last chapter, ne Sango?  
  
Sango: Yeah. blushes Whatever.  
  
Kagome: Hey guys! I just received a text message.  
  
Inuyasha: From whom? Are you two timing me?  
  
Kagome: sighs No. It's from someone named kaikawaii. She says, **'I don't own Inuyasha or any of it's characters BUT I do own the Ishikawas.'  
  
**Emiko, Naoko and Mrs. Ishikawa: Hey!  
  
Because of You Chapter 7- Akira's Stunt  
  
She turned from left to right finding the most comfortable position. Somehow, she couldn't sleep . There was something in her that told her that she should prepare for something, but what? What is supposedly going to happen today?  
  
Giving up, Emiko just opened her emerald eyes. She looked at her clock.  
  
"5:00," she mumbled as she got up and fixed her bed. "Maybe I should just get up early. What time does school open again?"  
  
After fixing her bed, she went straight to her bathroom and changed to her school uniform.  
  
Emiko was walking to school now. The sky was still pitch black but what would she possibly do at home when she couldn't sleep?

She had decided to spend her remaining time in the Hegira Park. She had only been there once and there was no harm in going again. The park also had a path way that leads to Emiko's school so when it was time, she had no trouble in going there.  
  
A thick fog was covering the sign of the park. Whether she could see it or not, Emiko still knew this was already her destination. The scent of the Sakura trees covered the whole place as she went in.  
  
Emiko couldn't really see where the benches were since the fog was too thick. So she started outstretching her hands and feeling the sides of the benches; her goal was the last one so she could be much nearer to the pathway leading to her school.  
  
One, she counted mentally after feeling the edge of the first one. Two, she thought again.  
  
After finally feeling the fifth one, she settled down there and closed her eyes. At last, she could now relax peacefully, without anyone disturbing her.  
  
Emiko raised her chin up and felt the cold breeze touch her face.  
  
"Mmm..." she moaned. She scooted a little to the back and shifted her legs to a more comfortable position. Just then, she felt someone beside her.  
  
"Who's there?" she said aloud, a little scared. She had forgotten completely what Kagome and Inuyasha had said to her on their first meeting.  
  
_Flashback  
  
"People here are nice, ne Kagome?" said Emiko as she walked down the hallway. She was just invited to lunch with Kagome and Inuyasha a while ago.  
  
Kagome plastered an uncertain frown on her face. "Well, half ya, half uh-uh," she said to Emiko._  
  
"_What do you mean?"  
  
"Listen Emiko-chan," said Kagome looking at her straight in the eyes. "Tokyo is the most dangerous place in Japan because it is the center of technology. Many things happen here so always make sure you're with someone. And watch were you're going because when an accident happens, people around here have no heed to anything happening around them except for themselves."  
  
Emiko looked taken back. She looked terrified and scared. "You mean it isn't safe here and people don't even care about others at all?"  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome gave a small laugh.  
  
"That's not what she means, girl," said Inuyasha seriously. "What she's saying is that most people here are too busy and too in a hurry to actually notice small accidents. It's not like they don't care at all. They just tend to think more of themselves because it is really unsafe here, especially if you're alone."  
  
End of Flashback._  
  
Emiko took out what she first reached in her bag: a small, tin pencil case. She stood up and held the pencil case high in the air, ready to hit anyone moving.  
  
"Put it down," a very icy voice said. Emiko hesitated at first, but put it down slowly after a few minutes. She still held it in her hand just in case the stranger attacked her. Emiko sat down one again and looked around.  
  
Then, she saw a shadow sitting right beside her. How could she not notice that there was someone there? Maybe the yearn for fresh air was not such a good idea.  
  
"Who- who are you?" she asked, a tone of alarm in her voice.  
  
There was no answer so Emiko held out her hand and started surveying the person beside her like a police cop. She positioned her hands lower and felt a very hard and muscular chest. It was most probably a boy.  
  
"Stop. Stop, before you touch something else," said the man.  
  
Emiko blushed and then mumbled, "Sorry." She turned to the opposite direction.  
  
"Who are you anyway?" she asked once again. And for the second time, there was no answer.  
  
"Fine," sighed Emiko. "I'll introduce myself first. I'm Emi-"  
  
"I know you already," the man said in a very cold unemotional voice Emiko was familiar with.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" She blurted out the first person on her mind.  
  
Slowly, she saw the figure nod. Then Sesshomaru became clearer and clearer until he was already clearly visible.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, very curious of his presence. Not that she didn't want him there. It was just a little bizarre that he actually stayed knowing she was there too. For a while there was another stream of silence.  
  
"Fresh air," Sesshomaru replied shortly.  
  
"That's funny," Emiko said, flashing a smile on her face. "Me too!"  
  
For a moment, Sesshomaru turned to her. Seeing her smile made his heart jump. Emiko reminded him of someone. Noticing that Emiko was already looking suspiciously at him staring at her, Sesshomaru switched his gaze reluctantly.  
  
"Listen," he said getting up. "Promise me to stay away from us from now on."  
  
Emiko looked confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"  
  
"I said, 'STAY AWAY FROM US FROM NOW ON.' Especially Akira."  
  
Emiko looked even more puzzled. "Why?"  
  
Sesshomaru shot a hasty glance at Emiko and then turned to leave. "If you don't want to get hurt, you'd do what I'm saying."  
  
With that, Emiko saw Sesshomaru's retreating figure in a distance. She looked up at the sky. The sun was now beginning rise; the figures of the trees starting to light up a shade of orange.  
  
What did Sesshomaru mean? Was that a threat or a caution? Most importantly, why did Sesshomaru say that?

"So, our little Sess gave the Ishikawa-girl a little good-bye note before she left us, ei?" Naraku said grimly to Touya, Kouga and Hiten, who were standing right in front of him.  
  
All of them were meeting behind the Hegira Park. To be exact, they were spying on Sesshomaru; seeing if he will do anything rash behind their back.  
  
"I wouldn't say that," replied Kouga smirking. "I would count that 'little talk' as Sesshomaru trying saving Ishikawa."  
  
"Yup," agreed Hiten, putting a hand on Naraku's shoulder. "Make you remember any other incident Naraku?"  
  
"Like last year, huh?" Touya joined in.  
  
"Shut up!" shouted Naraku, just enough for them three to hear. He moved his body away so that Hiten's hand would fall off his shoulder. "Nothing is going to happen between our Sesshomaru and Ishikawa! Especially, not after TODAY!!!"  
  
Touya, Kouga and Hiten simply shrugged at each other and left their hiding place. Naraku stayed there, looking extremely angry at both Sesshomaru and Emiko. Slowly, he remembered that day... the day Sesshomaru left...

_"NO! I would never allow that woman to be your KOI!!! NEVER!!!" shouted Naraku.  
  
"You must!" insisted Sesshomaru. "You know how much she means to me!!!"  
  
Naraku shook his head and laughed maliciously. "Sesshomaru, you better leave that woman if you don't want our friendship to end like this!"  
  
"Actually Naraku, ever since you did all those things to her, our friendship was already more than dead. If you don't want to accept her, than I myself should be leaving. And right now! I will not return until you have admitted you are wrong with her!"  
  
"You are not saying goodbye to us Sesshomaru, especially not for that woman!" shouted Naraku with all his might. "What makes her so special than the other women, throwing themselves for you huh? WHAT?!"  
  
Sesshomaru looked even angrier than Naraku it was a miracle he wasn't crying. "Because I love her and she loves me as much!"  
  
_Naraku tightened a fist and punched the nearest tree. No way was history going to repeat itself. And no way was Sesshomaru going to fall recklessly in love again. No way was he going to loose his one and only best friend in the world.  
  
For some reason, Sesshomaru couldn't help but feel like he was watched.  
  
"Reminds you of 'her', doesn't she," came a voice.  
  
"Come out Akira. I know it's you."  
  
"As always, Mr. Sesshomaru Taisho's the issue. No matter what time, day, month or year, it's always you who Naraku thinks of, follows and saves. Why's that? Because you are such a dear friend to him, Sess." Touya approached him and looked at his comrade straight in the eyes. Sesshomaru showed no expression, nonetheless.  
  
"And you know what? I'm sick of it!" shouted Touya. Sesshomaru still wasn't showing any expression. "Last year was such a load of crap! This year, I bet, Naraku had the most suspicion you might go and run with Emiko when we're not looking." Touya gestured what he was saying, sarcastically. "You never treated a girl like that except for 'her'. You never brought anyone to Seichi because you are greatly ashamed that Leo has a crush on you. And, most importantly, you never talk or give advice to anyone. Now I really believe Hiten. You are in love!"  
  
"NO-I-AM-NOT!!!" protested Sesshomaru. "Why do you keep on suggesting that I actually LIKE/LOVE that Ishikawa-girl!!! Well, you're wrong because after last year, I will never, NEVER fall in love EVER again!!!"  
  
Sesshomaru stormed off feeling very furious. Touya looked at him march to the front gates of school with the angriest frown on his face.  
  
"We'll see, Taisho, we'll see..."

"So what about that worm head's advice?" asked Inuyasha after the bell rang. Emiko has just passed him the note when Mikami-sensei turned his back.  
  
"I mean, why would he say that if it didn't mean anything?" said Emiko. "Especially the point that he seldom speaks?"  
  
"Don't mind him," said Inuyasha, turning his back. "Do better with your time and ignore that stupid creature."  
  
"Why are you so angry at Sesshomaru anyway?"  
  
"Because!" shouted Inuyasha. He had the last straw. Why consult him of all people, and about his brother for heaven's sake. He never talked about his brother that much and he didn't intend to.  
  
"Why ask me, by the way?" Inuyasha asked looking back at Emiko before he marched to Kagome and the others.  
  
"Because you seem to know a lot about him," answered Emiko as she turned the opposite direction. "Thanks anyways."  
  
Emiko and Inuyasha both walked to their destination. Emiko was heading for the comfort room. She did the opposite of Inuyasha's advice, ignored what he was to say and pay more attention to Sesshomaru's caution.  
  
Just when she was about to enter the ladies room, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Emiko turned around to see only Touya, leaning on the end of the locker rooms near the lavatory.  
  
"Hey," he said.  
  
Emiko smiled. "Hi," she said.  
  
"I'm just wondering," started Touya. "If we could meet later, you know, after class?"  
  
Emiko thought about it_. "I said, 'STAY AWAY FROM US FROM NOW ON.' Especially Akira." _Sesshomaru's words came back to her mind. But what if that was another of their pranks once again? Why should she trust Sesshomaru when they're not even friends.  
  
"Well?" asked Touya.  
  
"Sure!" answered Emiko.  
  
"Great! Meet me near the entrance of the school. I'll be early, so don't be late!" Touya turned to the other direction and started running. Emiko just sighed and entered the ladies room.  
  
See Sesshomaru? I'm already winning!

"Kagome, tell the other's not to wait for me anymore. I have to do something first."  
  
"Sure Emiko-chan," replied Kagome. "Just call us if you need anything else, ok?"  
  
Emiko nodded enthusiastically and went on her way. After emerging from the school's entrance door, she spotted Touya waiting impatiently, tapping his foot on the ground.  
  
"Finally!" he said raising both of his hands.  
  
"Komenasai Touya," said Emiko as she bowed in front of Touya. "Shimigawa-sensei dismissed us a little late today!"  
  
Touya chuckled. "How come?" he said teasingly. "Ms. Ishikawa was caught sleeping in class again?"  
  
"Hey!" shouted Emiko, punching the brunette in front of her softy on the shoulders.  
  
"Ow, that hurt!" said Touya sarcastically.  
  
"Whatever," sighed Emiko. "Why did you call me here anyway?"  
  
"I want to show you something before sunset. Something most 'new girls' have never seen before."  
  
"Really?" Emiko's eyes were now sparkling. Surly, she wanted to know more about her new hometown and how different it was with her old one.  
  
"Come with me," said Touya as he extended his hand towards Emiko. Emiko looked from her left to right to check if anyone she knew was there. After she saw that the coast was clear, she took Touya's hand hesitantly and was now being pulled by Touya to the streets of Tokyo.  
  
Unlike her "crowded" experience with Sesshomaru in the mall, Touya's dragging was more with care and comfort. He glanced back at Emiko every once in a while to check if she was fine. Turns out, she was.

"Sesshomaru, Touya's on the run now. Just like our plan," Naraku informed Sesshomaru. They were both inside a deserted classroom, Sesshomaru leaning against a shelf in front of the room, looking eagerly out the window. Naraku, on the other hand, was sitting on top of a sturdy table at the other end of his best friend.  
  
Sesshomaru nodded absentmindedly. He wasn't really that worried of Emiko, just a little bit. More of him felt guilty. He has done this before, and he could remember it so well.  
  
"Don't worry, Sess, everything's been taken care of," said Naraku. This time, they were in a setting near Sesshomaru's place, the white haired devil leaning against the gate. His so-called best friend was on the other end of the sidewalk, sitting with his legs apart from each other, his hands on his knees while his chin was resting on the back of his palms.  
  
Sesshomaru barely nodded, trying his best to avoid Naraku's eyes.  
  
"Well," said Naraku. "Best be off to know if everything's fine. I suggest you don't do anything foolish, my friend. Remember, this is for you, and you only."  
  
Sesshomaru turned to enter his house, not fancying to see Naraku walk to the direction of Hiten, who was doing the stunt this time. He started griping the doorknob very hard that it was already shaking.  
  
Naraku was thinking the same memory. That was his mistake. He shouldn't have left Sesshomaru out of his watching. He knew his best friend even more than his own brother, so why didn't he even think of just staying at Sesshomaru's side? How stupid of him.  
  
Suddenly, Sesshomaru turned to the door, opening it slowly. Naraku stood up, furious. He kicked the table he was sitting on and even banged the chair.  
  
"Where do you think you're going, huh?" he shouted. Sesshomaru looked at him with his all-so-cold eyes. Naraku didn't wait for him to reply. "You are going no where, Sesshomaru. For all I know, you might try to save a girl's butt like you did the year before, huh? Well, not under my watch, no, no. Last year I made a big mistake leaving you, now I will STAY RIGHT HERE, WITH YOU!!!"  
  
Sesshomaru ignored Naraku's tantrum, and opened the door. "I need some rest, if you please Naraku. Leave me alone."  
  
Naraku looked like he could burst anytime now. His face was red and his wavy hair was messy. His fists were clenched and was ready to punch.  
  
"I don't understand you Sesshomaru, not anymore."

Touya and Emiko stopped running in front of a small but wide building. Actually, it was an apartment. It was only about four floor high that the other buildings around it, towered over it easily. However, it was directly in front of the sun and the beach that the view was best here.  
  
"This is it," said Touya. "This is where my uncle and aunt live. It's not much outside, but it is inside."  
  
Emiko smiled at Touya. He had, yet again, amazed her by bringing her to one of the most beautiful places she had ever been too.  
  
"We better hurry up before the sun sets," whispered Touya as he grabbed Emiko's hand once again and entered the apartment.  
  
Inside was not entirely incredible but it was clean. Emiko and Touya's footsteps echoed through the room. On the right was a small reception table where the usher of the building laid sleeping. There was a small lounge where the residents of the apartment were all gathered up reading newspapers. Emiko also spotted an elevator and two pairs of stairs near the corner of the building.  
  
Touya dragged Emiko towards the elevator and pressed the up button. There was a loud ding and then the elevator door opened. The two stepped in. Touya pushed the R button as the elevator door closed.  
  
When they were on the second floor, the elevator door opened again and in came a red headed girl Emiko noticed as the girl who she met in the mall.  
  
The girl noticed her too. "It's you!" she said. "Emiko, was it?"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"Do you live here?" the girl asked, curious.  
  
"Apparently, not," replied Emiko sadly. "My friend just brought me here." Emiko turned to Touya who had his eyes closed and nudged him.  
  
"Hey I know you," said the girl and Touya in unison. "Akira Touya right?"  
  
"Uh-huh. Madison Maize?"  
  
Madison nodded. Emiko looked from Touya to Madison.  
  
"You know each other?" she asked.  
  
But before she could be answered, a loud ding was heard and Madison left the lift. Emiko then looked at Touya.  
  
"My parents know her parents," he explained. "They own a big company here in Japan. Madison's their only daughter and she's heir to their riches, much like me."  
  
"Oh," Emiko managed to say. Then the elevator door opened again and she and Touya got out.  
  
Nothing was on this floor except for a narrow path and a sliding door at the end of it.  
  
Touya opened the door and pulled Emiko in. Emiko gasped as she went inside. It was so clear there. The wind just kept playing with her. She felt so fresh like she just came out from a nice bath.  
  
She and Touya both walked to the end of the rooftop. It was like a giant balcony to Emiko. She held the railings and closed her eyes.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms slip behind her. She blushed furiously but didn't say anything.  
  
"Mmm..." she heard Touya say. Emiko didn't move but relaxed a bit. Both of them watched the sunset.  
  
"This is so beautiful," whispered Emiko.  
  
"You're beautiful," she heard Touya mutter. She blushed again but felt a little used to this conversation. She felt Touya nuzzle her neck and it sent shivers up her spine.  
  
"Why are you doing this, Touya?" asked Emiko, slightly confused.  
  
"Don't you get it?" said Touya. "I like you."  
  
Emiko's eyes widened. She stiffened again but relaxed as she felt Touya's head rest on her back, still not taking off his grip around her petite waist.  
  
"Well, Touya- I don't-"  
  
"It's Akira to you now," he whispered. Touya twirled Emiko so she was now facing him.  
  
"Fine, Akira," she said. Emiko felt Touya's continuous breaths. Their faces were only inches apart. "You know I-"  
  
"Shhh..." said Touya as he put his index finger on top of Emiko's heart shaped mouth. "Say no more..."  
  
Touya leaned closer to Emiko. He pushed her to the edge, her waist was now in contact with the railing.  
  
Touya didn't stop until their noses already touched. He almost planted a kiss on her mouth when...  
  
A/N: MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! CLIFFHANGER!!! I am EVIL!!! Anyways, hope you review. Next chapter's coming soon. Just pray that I can finish the next chapter quickly. Oh yeah, THANKS SO MUCH BLUE SAVAGE nikki!!! She helped me come up with this chapter and the next. Actually, this story is dedicated to her. She's such a good friend, ne? Advance happy b-day too! God bless you all!!! '.' 


	9. His Conscience

kaikawaii: I feel so good!!! Thanks for all the reviews... I LOVE you all!!! Anyways, here's the most recent chapter, hope you like this one...  
  
Special thanks to: Blue Savage: thanks so much for the tips! Love ya! Mwah! swimchick1614: I'm very sorry for the cliffy! hope this chapter makes up for all of that. Tomo Star: thanks for the review. hope to hear from you soon. Dorie: thanks. Lil Ayame: sure. anything for my reviewers just keep on reviewing, this chapter's for you by the way. FireDemond: yeah, I'm evil. thanks for the review. weird0: I think you're wrong about me not being evil. ask blue savage.... hehehe! strangel14899: I don't have a pet. well, I do have a turtle, but it ran away... Trom Kehra: good guess about what's going to happen. I think it's pretty obvious though. forever: Yup! I just love cliffhangers like you do! joViz: thanks. fluffys Rin: please, I already have at least four flames and I'm already burnt. kaikawaiiissogood: thanks for the review. I like you're name, where'd you get it? Sara: thanks for the review. filipino-loverÜ: dami palang Pilipino dito! anyways, saya ko at nagustohan mo! bratgoddess88: I'm really sorry for the cliffhangers. I just really love them! and since this is my first story with chapters, I got really addicted to it! Sorona: thanks for the review. sorry if I just wrote this "thank you" things now. it's just... well... thanks anyways. viv: thanks so much for the encouragement! it worked and believe me, I'm really very stubborn at times... fishandhchips: hey, I love your name... it's so cool. anyways, thank you, thank you. Kirdan: thank you Kirdan. DraGonMistress704: yey for mirosang!!! I was actually getting sick of making them fight and because Miroku is one of my favorite characters, I don't really want him to get hurt with those slaps and punches. Ajina Kaori-san: I dream about Sesshy too. Is Sesshy double 'S'? sorry didn't know until now... Sor Ka: I guess you're kinda right. I'm trying my best to make them realistic though. thanks for the tip. and, hey, I'm taking this seriously. Kono Mama Dei: thanks for the review but I must remind you that this is an AU fic, meaning it is MY fic and I get to choose their behavior. thanks for the 'tip' anyway. Shaking Heads: Hey! you gave me my first flame! And, Inuyasha is a love story, that's why Kagome is there and so is Kikiyo. I think you're the one with the misunderstanding. Anyways, I will try my best to bring back the character's cool. killua: I don't fully agree with the sexual stuff and for those out there who are expecting me to write something lemony, I'm sorry because my parents don't allow me to write that kind of things yet. -for those who have reviewed and are not written here, I'm sorry because I don't want this special thanks thing to cover so much space. it's almost one page already. sorry guys, maybe next time. thanks a lot anyways.-   
  
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS!!! (hindi ko pag-aari and Inuyasha)  
  
Because of You Chapter 8- His Conscience  
  
-Sesshomaru's Point of View-  
  
I emerged from the empty classroom with such a heavy feeling in my heart. It was like crying though no tears fell down. I stopped at the center of the hallway, deserted as well, and leaned against the marble wall of my school. I clutched the part of my body where my heart was directed to and closed my eyes.  
  
Every time I heard or even remembered anything about Naraku's stupid plan, I had this funny feeling inside his body he had never felt before. It was like being tickled from within but how could that happen? This feeling was even more supreme than what I felt two years back for her. I have to admit I know nothing about... well... love.  
  
I started walking once again, noticing footsteps coming my way. I have to get out from Naraku's prison. I have to think.  
  
I quickly sneaked out of school. We weren't supposed to be there especially at one of the sophomore classrooms at this building. I myself didn't know why I was there. Naraku just grabbed me and we ended up at that room.  
  
At last, fresh air outside school. I put my hands in my pocket and looked around. One of the first things I spotted were a group of girls chuckling to themselves, looking maliciously at me. I hate those flirts. Why can't they understand that I like someone else. Wait... did I just think that?  
  
I started walking once again, half wishing to get peace, another half longing to get away from that group of girls. I walked, quickening my pace, feeling a cold gentle wind touch my face and whisper into my ear. I felt some of my silver locks dance with the air, playing around with it.  
  
I turned to the street next to the Hegira Park, taking a swift glance at it. I can't believe how many things happened there. Brushing the thought off my mind, I stopped at the house where my motor bike was parked and entered it as quietly as I can.  
  
As I entered my house, several house maids came rushing to me, checking if I was ok, helping me with my things and asking me if I wanted anything. I just shook my head and ascended upstairs, my floor, as I called it.  
  
I stopped at the top of the staircase, catching sight of a certain picture. It was a portrait of me and 'her' near my family's summer cottage. I walked to it and put it faced down, not really wanting to remember it now. Noticing someone was watching me, I quickly turned my gaze to another set of stairs leading to my brother's, I mean, half-brother's side of the house.  
  
"Come out," I said as Inuyasha's figure emerged from the darkness.  
  
"Why did you turn that picture facedown?" Inuyasha asked, walking straight to the stairs leading to the first floor.  
  
"None of your business," I replied coolly, putting my hands in my pockets once again.  
  
"Found someone else have you?" Inuyasha asked, obvious that he couldn't keep his curiosity to himself anymore. "No sense lying, I can feel it."  
  
I simply ignored his words. Why though? Did I think he was right? Did I have nothing to object? Was I really in love?  
  
No. I am not. I'm just confused, yes, confused.  
  
So I went to my room and quickly threw myself on my bed, scanning my messy room. Clothes of all sorts were whether on the floor or hanging on something else and pieces of paper scattered around my room. True, I haven't cleaned up my room for a century. The maids aren't allowed to come in here, just in case they start being as nosy as my brother too.  
  
I looked up at my cobalt ceiling thinking. It all happened during that crazy "accident". Why wasn't I looking at where I was going? Or better yet, why didn't Emiko simply avoid my motorbike? It's all her fault.  
  
Oh, why am I being childish like Naraku? I just wish I could change time so that none of this would happen. So I could move to another city and escape the coming of Emiko. I wish I could ignore all this, but not taking notice of all these is not as easy as it looks.  
  
I looked at the floor now, and noticed something sticking out from under my desk. I promptly got on my feet and snatched that thing.  
  
It turned out to be the scrapbook she gave me on my fifteenth birthday. I reluctantly opened it and was greeted by the same picture of Rin and me. We were under our favorite Sakura tree, my arms around her waist and her head against my shoulder. I was actually smiling at this picture. Rin was the only person to make me smile...  
  
---------------------------  
  
"Why don't you smile Sesshomaru?" asked a very sweet voice.  
  
"I don't think I should spend my pastime smiling like an idiot when nothing's really funny," replied Sesshomaru.  
  
"Well once you do it, it'll not seem like anything harmful," lectured Rin as she stood up with her hands on her waist. "It'll actually help you with your problems and make you feel at ease when you're troubled."  
  
"I'm at ease when you are," muttered Sesshomaru shyly.  
  
Rin smiled even wider and sat down beside Sesshomaru once again.  
  
---------------------------  
  
I looked at the picture one last time and then turned to the next page. There were two photographs this time, one was my gang and I and the other was Rin with Inuyasha.  
  
I forgot how close those two were. Inuyasha was actually kind to me during the period Rin and I were together. We were close then but our bond was broken by that stupid accident.  
  
I then turned to the next page. There was no picture in there. Instead, Rin pasted my first "love letter" on this page.  
  
My Rin,  
  
First of all, I want to say thank you for all you've done. You've made me forget my problems and made me feel relieved. I feel very grateful to have you at my side.  
You're the only girl that makes my heart beat fast and slow at the same time. When I'm about to say something to you, I have the tendency to swallow my words. You're the only girl that makes me blush, stutter or even trip while I'm walking.  
  
Rin I want to make this clear. I don't want to be you're first love, I want to be your last...  
  
Sesshomaru  
  
It took me a lifetime to write this, with the help of some people of coarse. It was very short but Rin told me it was her favorite. Not that I really wrote her so much letters.  
  
I flipped to the next page. I found myself looking at the necklace Rin gave me. It had a black string and a beautiful pendant with the words, 'You're my no. 1' on it. I recalled how many people she asked to 'order' me to wear it. However, in the end, I still won.  
  
The last few pages were pictures once again. I had a copy of each picture except for the last one. It was a photo taken by Rin's stepfather while we were both sleeping. I was there guarding her in the hospital apparently I fell asleep, her hand was in mine. Rin on the other hands was on the hospital bed, her back supported by several pillows...  
  
----------------------  
  
"Sesshomaru! Sesshomaru!"  
  
The silver haired teenager jerked awake by the calling of his name. "Rin?"  
  
"No. It's me, Dr. Silva." Sesshomaru was face to face with Rin's doctor, his white hair and beard full of sweat.  
  
"Why are you here? Are you done with the check-up?" asked Sesshomaru.  
  
"Yes. Apparently Rin has two broken ribs, a broken leg and a fractured arm. Her brain also has damage. The accident was too sudden and the car was speeding too fast. She lost a lot of blood too, since she was not stabilized in the hospital as soon as possible. Do you know what this means?"  
  
Sesshomaru shook his head. He had never heard such a damage since his mom was stabbed by a knife and run over by a ten wheeler truck.  
  
"I'm afraid to say that Ms. Karrashi has very little possibility to live. But if she does so, her opportunity of walking is zero percent. Blood cells in the ovary have as well been dented so her pregnancy is um... let's say she cannot have children. A series of blood transfer and body organ transplant must also be apprehended. But I am not 100% sure that this will really work."  
  
"What? This is supposed to be a hospital, is it not? You are known for the best hospital in the country. You have saved several lives, why not hers?" shouted Sesshomaru angrily.  
  
"As I said, she reached this hospital too late. It's all in God's hands now, I'm afraid. And not even all the best hospitals and doctors in the world put together can change what path 'The Man' has chosen for us," said the doctor as he left.  
  
Sesshomaru turned to Rin. She was now awake, her eyes starting to fly open.  
  
"Was that Dr. Silva? What did he say?" she asked in a very weak voice.  
  
Sesshomaru was silent for a while.  
  
"That you have very little possibility to live," replied Sesshomaru sadly. However, Rin still flashed out a smile. "Why are you smiling?"  
  
"Because I know that at least there's someone who cares for me now," Rin said coolly. "But Sesshomaru, you must also understand that each of us has his or her time. And if God says it's mine, we have to let go. I have learned that from my mother, who gave her life away because she loved me. And that I must do as well. I know it's not easy to leave this world, but knowing there is a better one out there makes the pain go away."  
  
Sesshomaru looked both confused and shocked with what Rin said, but no matter how hard it was, he respected whatever Rin said.  
  
"You must promise me to live you're life fully Sesshomaru. Never close the door for possibilities like love or even friendship. It is my wish that you love again and become happy. Please, promise this for me."  
  
Sesshomaru slowly nodded and held Rin's icy hand.  
  
"I promise."  
  
----------------------  
  
I slowly closed the scrapbook and thought about Rin's words. Open up? What did she mean by that. Was my door closed when she came into my life?  
  
For a year, I haven't thought of her words. A possibility of love. Was there really an opportunity for me to love or treasure someone as dearly as Rin?  
  
Then it occurred to me. Emiko! I looked at my wristwatch quickly. 5:50. The sun sets at six!  
  
I quickly ran out my room. I must reach her in time. I must save her, for Rin and Rin's dying wish.  
  
-normal POV-  
  
Sesshomaru ran as quickly as he could. Maids were asking if anything was wrong but he just kept on running.  
  
He emerged out the door in bare feet, not really having enough time to wear his shoes. It didn't matter if his feet were now swollen, as long as he got there in time.  
  
Rain started to pour as well. Sesshomaru ran even faster, making people glance at him with a weird expression on their faces. He even have to tackle some of the people who were causing such a crowd. But he didn't have time to mind that now. Not when a life it at sake.  
  
There was only one question though, how would he save her?  
  
Emiko was getting soaked up. Touya had already closed his eyes. She couldn't get away from his hold. He was too strong. Emiko was already feeling his breath close to her, their noses brush against each other. Touya didn't seem to notice it was raining though, he just continued.  
  
At last, Sesshomaru reached the place. He opened the door hurriedly, he had the urge to kick it though, but it might cause him trouble which he didn't have time for. He ran to the stairs and climbed as fast as he could.  
  
"Would you like a towel sir?" he heard the now awaken usher shout.  
  
However, no one could stop him now. He was in the second floor when he bumped into someone.  
  
"I'm so sorry," said the girl. "Hey, I know you, you're part of Akira's gang, aren't you?"  
  
Sesshomaru looked up to see Madison standing right in front of him, her front shirt wet as well because of their sudden encounter. Her hair was up in two neat ponytails so her freckled face was clearly seen.  
  
"You live here right? Mind if I use your balcony?" asked Sesshomaru hurriedly.  
  
"Actually, I was just about to go but sure, anything for Akira's friend." Madison led the way to her apartment room. She got out her keys, which were snatched out of her hand by Sesshomaru. Madison looked shocked as she watched Sesshomaru unlock her door hastily. When he heard the lock open, he kicked the door and scanned the room.  
  
Now their lips were brushing onto each other. Emiko had the urge to punch Touya for his actions but both of her hands were laced with his. She didn't want this to happen. She knew she liked Touya but not as in like, like. She loved him as a friend and this incident made her understand that.  
  
They were about to kiss when she felt Touya's hand no longer on hers but instead on her shoulder. Suddenly, she felt a great amount of force pushing her, and it was Touya.  
  
"Wha- wha- what are you doing?" she managed to ask. She screamed just before Touya had successfully push her off the building. The last thing she saw was Touya's content face looking down at her, when all went blank.  
  
Both Madison and Sesshomaru heard a loud shout coming from outside. Sesshomaru quickly spotted the door to the balcony and swung it open. Rain started to pour on his once again as he ran to the edge of the terrace. He put his bare feet in between the metal railings for support and held out both of his hands.  
  
He heard a loud laughter and another scream as he felt a great weight on his hands. It was Emiko, the back of her blouse torn and her rear was bleeding badly. Sesshomaru groaned at her heaviness as he carried her safely on the balcony. He slipped as he withdrew his feet from between the terrace railings, and they both fell, Emiko's chest to his.  
  
Madison witnessed all this happen at once. She did not move from the shock. How could Emiko have fallen off the rooftop? How did Sesshomaru know this would happen?  
  
She heard Sesshomaru moan and saw him stand up, trying to support Emiko on his arm. His uniform was now stained with Emiko's blood as he carried her in the room. Emiko's blood was pouring as well just like the rain outside.  
  
"Get a first aid kit, water and fresh clothes," said Sesshomaru. He laid Emiko on one of the white sheet beds, which were stained with blood as well. However, Madison didn't move. She just stayed still, her hand on her mouth.  
  
"How- how- how-"  
  
"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME? I SAID GET A FIRST AID KIT, WATER AND FRESH CLOTHES. NOW!!!"  
  
Madison was now running around, getting what she was asked, rather ordered to get. Sesshomaru on the other hand checked Emiko's temperature. She was now burning hot, from the rain perhaps. Her breathing was heard within the serene room, beads of sweat trickled down her fore head as well. The sheets of the bed she was lying on was now soaked in her blood.  
  
"Here," said Madison as she entered the room, carrying a first aid kit, a bowl on top of it and an oversized t-shirt swung on her shoulder.  
  
Sesshomaru wasted no time. He turned Emiko gently, facedown so that he could cover her wounds. He ripped her blouse fully so that he could see her injury clearly. It was a big slash that reached from her shoulder to the end of her back.  
  
Sesshomaru opened the kit and got the bandages and laid them on the bed. Madison handed him the bowl of water with a small towel in it. Sesshomaru was no expert in this, but he's done it once.  
  
The silver haired teenager wrung the wet towel and gently cleaned Emiko's wound. Emiko moaned every time the piece of cloth touched her. She was sweating too.  
  
"How could she have a wound this big?" asked Sesshomaru.  
  
"She probably hit one of the sharp edges of this building or someone did that to her," replied Madison.  
  
Sesshomaru almost fainted with the smell of blood but he had to be strong if he wanted to save her. Naraku would probably be mad at him for this, but because it was Rin's wish, it must be granted.  
  
After cleaning her wound, Sesshomaru simply handed the bandages to Madison for he couldn't bare the smell anymore. He went to the bathroom and tried to wash off the blood on his clothes.  
  
By the time Sesshomaru got out of the lavatory, Emiko was already dressed in Madison's extra large shirt and a pair of cycling shorts.  
  
"You better bring her home because my brother's going to arrive here soon," said Madison looking very disgusted at her bed sheet.  
  
"Just one more favor," said Sesshomaru as he carried Emiko cautiously, trying his hardest not to touch her wound. "Find the Ishikawa's home number in the directory and tell them she'll be sleeping at a friend's house."  
  
Madison nodded and Sesshomaru exited the room. He had caused so much trouble today. He wished that Inuyasha wouldn't be home when he comes or he's done for it.  
  
As Sesshomaru entered the house alertly, he quickly ran up the stairs and into his room. Fortunately Inuyasha was still out with Kagome and the others. He silently crept into his room and laid Emiko on his bed. Then he started cleaning up the mess in his room.  
  
"Where am I?" a voice asked suddenly.  
  
"In my house," replied Sesshomaru as he emerged out of the bathroom.  
  
Emiko tried to shift her position but she couldn't. "I think my arm's broken."  
  
Sesshomaru moved to her and held her arm. She groaned as he touched it. Sesshomaru slowly nodded and went out the door to get a cast.  
  
"Thank you so much for saving me," said Emiko as she limped towards Sesshomaru.  
  
Emiko was in Sesshomaru's clothing now, wearing his cargo pants and shirt. Last night went fine enough. Emiko called her mother saying that she needed to stay at a friends house to do some extra assignments and that she would be back tomorrow. Emiko also slept peacefully on Sesshomaru's bed while the owner slept on the floor mattress. She had also eaten breakfast early this morning and did her homework with a little help from the maids.  
  
Emiko walked a few more steps towards Sesshomaru and hugged him with her good hand. Surprisingly, Sesshomaru returned her hug by putting both of his arms, reluctantly, around her waist.  
  
"You're not as bad as I thought you were," said Emiko as she withdrew her hand blushing. There was this really funny feeling inside of her that she never felt when Touya was around. What was it? She didn't know.  
  
"Remember, this is the first and last time I'll save you. And stay away from us from now on," said Sesshomaru in his usual monotone.  
  
Emiko nodded understanding fully what he meant and emerged from the house. Sesshomaru followed her to school just in case Naraku had more plans in his sleeve, but luckily, she was safe. Sesshomaru only left her from his watch when she was around her friends again.  
  
A/N: So, how'd you like it? Was it short or long? Am I too fast or slow? Anyways, that's the best I could do. I've decided that next chapter will be...................................... Sorry, don't want to spill it out yet. But you have to review or I'll not update soon... PLEASE 0.0! Thanks...... here, I'll give you guys a brownie! Ja! 


	10. Back to Before

* * *

A/N: I'M SOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! SORRY FOR THE LONG UPDATE AND EVERYTHING. I had a writer's block. Plus, school just started and we had our first tests this week and a lot more stuff. I hate Social Studies! Anyways, here it goes. Don't eat me, please!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the Ishikawas.  
  
Because of You Chapter 9- Back to Before  
  
Two days have past since that terrible incident and Emiko's hand was free to work again. Her mother was furious with her, obviously. Emiko had told her that while she was getting a glass of water after her homework, she had slipped on the third step. Her friends didn't buy it though, so she told them the truth.  
  
Kagome and Miroku took it softly and even felt sorry for her. But Inuyasha and Sango looked at it the hard way and refused to talk to Emiko for two weeks. Even with Kagome and Miroku's explanations, the two stayed as stubborn as ever.  
  
-Flashback-  
  
"Don't worry Kag-chan," said Emiko during one lunch break with them. "I understand. I would feel the same if who you thought was your friend was keeping secrets from you ever since she arrived."  
  
"Don't take it that way, Emiko," reasoned Kagome. "I'm sure they were just... well, shocked that you were going out with Akira Touya after we warned you of his... um... heartlessness."  
  
-End of Flashback-  
  
After that talk, Emiko couldn't help but feel left out from the group for they paid less attention to her. So she decided to part ways and wait for them, particularly Inuyasha, to cool down.  
  
This resulted to many sleepless nights, however, but she didn't mind. It just shows that her conscience was working pretty good.  
  
But how come Sesshomaru saved her? That question was yet to be answered. Although Sesshomaru was too ignoring her, like always, Emiko still had the urge to ask him every time she saw him alone, which he was pretty hard to find since Naraku has been tailing him everywhere. And every time she would try and talk to him, the only answer she would get was a 'hmpf' or sometimes he would merely ignore her.  
  
His eyes look different though, Emiko noticed. Instead of the hard and cool eyes Emiko was used to seeing, she could now notice some sadness and hurt in them. It was like she could now see through him, like they already shared a certain kind of bond that was yet to be discovered.  
  
Emiko woke up with a jerk. She looked out the window, noticing the sun wasn't awake yet. She climbed out of bed and looked at her clock. 5:00 am, it showed. How bizarre, it was exactly the time she woke up when Sesshomaru 'warned' her of Touya's stunt. It wasn't much persuasive though and why should she believe him? Well, she learned her lesson.  
  
The brunette walked to the bathroom and changed into her uniform, completely forgetting it was a Saturday. She walked out of her room, her hair still untidy. She went down the stairs, not bothering to carry her feet and grabbed something to eat. Then, feeling she needed some time to think, she went out of the house and walked to where her feet took her.  
  
Not noticing where she was heading to, Emiko took a right turn. The surroundings were starting to get clearer, lighter to be exact. There were limited people on the streets but knowing it was so early in the morning, it was no longer a wonder.  
  
She turned at the opposite direction and stopped when she noticed a familiar house. She was standing in front of the Taisho residence.  
  
Wondering why her feet had brought her here, she turned to go back home but thought otherwise when she noticed a certain silver haired teen, standing straight on the green balcony. When he turned to look at Emiko's direction, she hid behind the nearest tree.  
  
Why am I feeling so conscious? she asked herself.  
  
Emiko leaned slightly to take another glance at Sesshomaru. He looked so serious, yet it was a different look from the usual. Though far from him, Emiko noted that his eyes looked more sincere, sad and more beautiful. She wondered what he was thinking. She stared at him for a few moments, like he were the only existing thing around.  
  
-Sesshomaru's POV-  
  
I woke up at four o'clock in the morning. It was my every Saturday routine. This day though, I woke up with sorrow in my heart. Something was heavily bothering me, though I didn't know what the hell it was. I stood up and put on a loose shirt. Then, I decided to get some fresh air and went out to the balcony.  
  
The breeze that touched my face felt so relaxing. I felt like floating, the morning sun's rays reflecting my pale skin. I closed my eyes for a while, taking some time to think.  
  
Why was I like this? Every time I saw or even passed by 'her', my heart would skip a beat. It was an extraordinary feeling I never felt before. Was it love? No, I told myself once again firmly. I've been thinking of this over and over and every time, I would conclude that I didn't like nor lover 'her'. It was heavenly impossible because we were totally different in many ways. I know I'm always blinded with my pride but this could not happen.  
  
I opened my eyes and averted them to the street opposite to mine where a house, similar to mine stood. Rin used to live in that house, and every morning, her face was too looking out the clear window, her brown eyes gazing into mine. I remembered when I first loved. It was interesting because it was new. I recalled the many times I would lace my hand in hers. The warmth I felt when she would touch, kiss or even embrace me. I felt as if heaven was on earth or that I was in heaven.  
  
I felt hot tears forming in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. Love was such a horrible experience, but how come I feel like I want to love again?  
  
"Instead of pushing it away, embrace it," the words of my father replayed into my mind. True, I thought. But after so many losses with those whom I care for, how can I relive the past? As I said earlier, it was highly IMPOSSIBLE.  
  
But wasn't impossible such a strong word to say? Didn't everyone believe that nothing was impossible? I shrugged the thought off my mind. If anything was possible, then Rin would still be alive.  
  
But she was, I realized. She was still existing, in my thoughts and in my heart.  
  
-Normal POV-  
  
Emiko felt a strong force pass by her cheek. She looked straight to see a bird flying towards Sesshomaru. The silver haired teen took out his index finger and stroked the bird so gently. Emiko's eyes softened as she saw him caress the blue bird's soft feathers, the bird giving in to his actions.  
  
The brunette watched as Sesshomaru muttered something closely to the little creature.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sesshomaru gazed intently at the creature approaching him. He lifted his hand and let it rest on his finger. His eyes relaxed as he cuddled the bird's feathers. The bird chirped softly, making Sesshomaru's mouth curve into a small smile. It was telling him something. Something that maybe the answer to all his questions.  
  
"Don't worry young one," he said softly to it. "I promised to seek the answers myself. But not now. Now's not the right time."  
  
With that, Sesshomaru told the bird to fly away once again. He watched as it shrunk into the distance. The bird was a sign, though Sesshomaru didn't notice it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Emiko watched Sesshomaru enter his house once again. It must be getting late, she thought. Emiko walked back to her house, smiling to herself. One word came into her mind. Serendipity. The term her mother used to describe how she had met Emiko's father. Serendipity was the art of finding fortunate discoveries by accident. Emiko believed Sesshomaru to be one of those discoveries, though she wasn't quite so sure what she felt for him. What if she was making another mistake? But inside, she knew that Sesshomaru wasn't that cold, heartless person he proved to others he was. There was something more beneath him. Something unique that could catch any girl's heart.  
  
Emiko glanced once more at the Taisho house, her emerald eyes admiring the beauty of it. Like a house, a person didn't always seem what it was on the outside...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Emiko entered her house and dropped on the living room's sofa. It was half past seven and she was exhausted from walking around town. She sat up and brushed her hair with her hands.  
  
"Hey Emi-chan!" greeted a sweet voice. Emiko turned to the stairs and saw Naoko in the intersection of it. He was dressed in casual attire, his slender legs presented beneath his denim shorts. He looked so adorable in them, like he was some 3 year old.  
  
"Morning Naoko!" replied Emiko with a smile. She stood up and gave her brother a hug. "Where are you going?"  
  
"My friend invited me to his house. It's just down the street," said Naoko, completely walking down the stairs, Emiko's hand in his.  
  
"Oh really? And who's this friend of yours?" asked Emiko as they headed towards the kitchen.  
  
"His name is Kohaku Katana. Remember? I told you about him before," said Naoko taking his usual seat at the dining table.  
  
Emiko nodded.  
  
"I see both of you are awake?" said Mrs. Ishikawa as she entered the room. "Emiko, why are you in your uniform?"  
  
Emiko blushed. "I must've forgotten it was Saturday today," she said.  
  
Both Naoko and her mother laughed.  
  
"Silly Emiko!" said Naoko, his cheeks red from laughing.  
  
When everyone had ceased giggling, Mrs. Ishikawa started to serve breakfast.  
  
"Mom, what time will you bring me to Kohaku's house?" asked Naoko after devouring a spoon full of cereals.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry Naoko but I can't bring you there. My boss wants me at the office today," said Mrs. Ishikawa, slapping her forehead with her free hand.  
  
"That's ok mom, I understand," replied Naoko. However, there was no hiding the disappointment in his voice.  
  
"I'll take you there if you like," said Emiko sensing her brother was sad. "We'll just walk since it's only down the street."  
  
Naoko flashed his charming smile at Emiko and thanked her. Mrs. Ishikawa smiled at Emiko's kindness towards her brother.  
  
The Ishikawa siblings were walking down the street. They stopped in front of a familiar looking house and knocked on the door. To Emiko's surprise, Sango answered it.  
  
"How may I help... you?" she said, noticing Emiko was there.  
  
"I'm here to see Kohaku-chan," said Naoko. Sango looked at him sweetly and called for her brother.  
  
"You must be Naoko," said Sango, smiling. "Well, come in!"  
  
Naoko gladly entered the house, giving Emiko a grateful hug. Before Sango could close the door, Emiko opened her mouth to say something.  
  
"What is it?" asked Sango, seeing that Emiko was about to say something. She didn't look at her 'friend' though, which disappointed Emiko.  
  
"What time should I fetch Naoko?" asked Emiko, looking at the 'WELCOME' mat, suddenly attracted to it.  
  
"We'll just bring him home, don't worry," said Sango before closing the door.  
  
Emiko looked up and mumbled, "I'm sorry," before turning her heels.  
  
Emiko was too busy thinking about Sango and Inuyasha, that she didn't notice someone was following her...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
It was Monday once again, and Emiko was walking down the high school hallway, alone. She scanned the look on people's faces, laughing at one another. Suddenly, she felt so out of place, just like how she felt in her previous school.  
  
Emiko entered the locker room, where people were coming out. It was the end of classes already, and Emiko, totally exhausted, really looked forward to going home.  
  
She opened her locker and noticed that a piece of paper fell down and landed on her feet. She looked at it curiously. Maybe it was a letter from Sango or Inuyasha. Emiko smiled and picked it up. It wasn't too big to have so much content, or too little to be a simple love letter, which Emiko doubted it would be. It was just a fourth of a bond paper even folded into half.  
  
Emiko sat down on the nearest bench, not bothering to close her locker. She opened the note, and read it quietly in her head.  
  
_ 'Meet me at the covered basketball court after school. Just want a word.'  
_  
Emiko was more curious. Who would want a word with her? Why didn't he or she put their name on the note? She folded it once again and put the unneeded books inside her locker. Then, she headed towards the basketball court, a pair of golden eyes watching her every move.  
  
Emiko entered the court cautiously. After being roughly thrown off a building, who wouldn't be? She went inside, but saw nothing but dimness.  
  
"Don't be afraid to come in, I won't bite," said a too familiar voice.  
  
Emiko entered as said, but left the door open so she could see where she was going.  
  
"Stop there," said the voice once again. Emiko noted that there was only one person inside the deserted court but still wondered if it was safe. No one could be too sure.  
  
"Sesshomaru?" she asked, confirming if her guess of whom it was, was correct.  
  
Emiko saw a figure come close. The figure nodded.  
  
"What do you want to talk about?" asked Emiko, her heart thumping.  
  
"I just want clarification with you," he said in the same monotone.  
  
Emiko blushed thankful it was dark.  
  
"Listen, I won't repeat this again," said Sesshomaru. After a short serene silence he continued. "Watch your every move and be cautious all the time. Naraku has more surprises at his sleeve, surprises no one can stop. I cannot help you anymore, I've been too kind to you enough already. If you don't listen, it's not my fault."  
  
Emiko nodded taking in what he said. "Why are you telling me this?"  
  
There was a short silence.  
  
"I just don't want anyone to get hurt anymore," said Sesshomaru, quite uncertain himself.  
  
Emiko nodded once again and turned to the door, realizing that the discussion was over.  
  
"And one more thing," said Sesshomaru as Emiko retreated. "I'm not your enemy, nor your friend. We don't know each other and nothing happened between us."  
  
Emiko's heart broke into a hundred pieces. Tears nearly filled her eyes but she stopped it. He was right. She was nothing to him, nor was he to her. However, something told her that there was a hidden truth beneath his words. A message he wanted to give her.  
  
Well, Emiko thought. He should've said it clearer.  
  
Emiko closed the door, leaving Sesshomaru alone in the darkness. He too, turned his heel to the opposite door. She didn't know how much courage it took for him to say that for merely doing it made his world shatter. He saw that movement of hurt in her, but he had done only what he thought was best though not all the things he thought was correct. When his hand gripped the damp knob of the wooden door, he turned once again to where Emiko emerged and talked as if she was still there.  
  
"Take care of yourself, Emiko Ishikawa, no time for loosing another," he said, before leaving the empty court as well....  
  
A/N: As I said, I'm really sorry for the late update. School just started and I have basketball training, officer meetings and I just passed the children's theater auditions and is currently waiting for the results of the second one. I'm also part of the school newspaper and am submitting my draft on Tuesday. I'm not lying, cross my heart. I'm a very busy girl who wants to make the most out of my grade school life so please be patient with me.  
I also want to say to everyone that my name will be ANONYMOUSLY CUTE from now on and not kaikawaii. thank you.  
Lastly, please don't forget to review this chapter. I'll really try my best to update earlier but no promises are made. Please, please review! Thank you all!!!! Luv ya!


	11. Escape

A/N: I really apologize for the very late update. It's really something I can't explain because you wouldn't understand. Anyway, I'll really try to make it up to you, I really promise.

Disclaimer: Only the Ishikawa's are mine, nothing else.

Chapter 10- Escape

Emiko sighed deeply as she sunk down in a chair. She looked around the classroom, seeing only a few people inside. It was not really something to be surprised of since she came to school a little bit earlier than she used to. She really needed the extra time to relax since even in the house, she couldn't rest a muscle.

Her mother's in-laws, her father's parents, happened to visit last weekend to check on how the family was doing. Truth be told, they didn't really approve to Mrs. Ishikawa when their son introduced her to them and until now, since he died, they didn't trust her one bit. Apparently, she was out when Emiko's grandparents came and the house was a mess. Perfectionist was another adjective to describe them, they wanted no mistakes. So Emiko and Naoko took both Saturday and Sunday cleaning up.

The brunette rested her head on the table and closed her eyes. Beated up with chores was not her only problem. Her friends were too. They still weren't talking to her and refused to make friends. The class field trip was coming up and she still didn't have any partner. Maybe going alone could be an option, or not even going anymore.

The sound of loud voices and boisterous laughter alarmed Emiko and she jerked right up as she heard them. They were as loud as rock concerts. She turned to the door as it opened and to no revelation it was Naraku's gang.

She had almost forgotten about them with all the commotion going on, half afraid they would make up more to the problem, or ready to have a new life. However, with that much attention they are getting, how could she? Some things were hard to bear, but she had to do with it.

They all sat down beside each other and it was then she noticed there was someone new in the gang. She could be recognized immediately as someone novel since she was the only girl and stuck out like a sore thumb. She had raven locks as dark as the night. Her eyes were flaming red and it made a pretty good contrast against her pale skin color. She was pretty, but looked like some troublemaker. Aside from that, she was holding Sesshomaru's hand, though it was obvious from the white haired teen's expression that he was just being forced to act like lovers. Somehow, Emiko felt a little jealous but then recalled the conversation they had before.

"I'm not your enemy, nor your friend. We don't know each other and nothing happened between us," was what he said, and Emiko was trying very hard to do her share in that "agreement".

They laughed again and everyone in the class looked in their direction, faced showed both confusion and irritation. The new girl looked back at them, her stare saying, "What are you looking at?" in a threatening way. Immediately the students stared away, looking rather shaky.

'This girl would surly be a lot of trouble,' Emiko thought rolling her eyes. 'A lot.'

OOOOOOOO

It was almost 8 o' clock when the bell rang, indicating the students to settle down in their proper chairs. Emiko sat up straight as she noticed the commotion. Their sensei was coming in when they all had fixed themselves.

"Morning class!" said Mikami-sensei cheerfully, his face lit up with a gleam.

Despite the happy introduction, his homeroom class still greeted him in the same bored and everyday routine fashion. He rolled his eyes and ask that they take their seat.

Emiko looked at Sesshomaru at her side then to Inuyasha at the other. They seemed to have the same mood today for they had the same frowns. Actually, they looked like twins because of that.

Mikami-sensei clapped his hands twice to get their attention and heads turned to his direction quickly. He smiled satisfied and then took a deep breath.

"I have important announcements to make so listen up. First of all, let us welcome back Kagura Kishin who just returned from Canada," he said, pointing at the woman Emiko had spotted a while ago. She stood up with poise but looked at her fellow classmates with a rather serious face, one that looked scary. She nodded at Mr. Mikami and then sat down, legs crossed. Emiko continued to look at her and saw her roll her eyes and scribble something down on a piece of paper then passed it to Naraku. And as if knowing Emiko was staring at her, she looked at the brunette with sharp eyes then looked away again.

The sensei coughed to get their attention once again, which was apparently so easy to catch. The turned to him and saw him smile. "Since our class field trip is near approaching, I would like to make some preparations about it. Regarding the partners. I have made a list of who would become a pair and I'll post it later on. There will be no exchanging of partners like last year."

Most of the people in the class groaned, some smiled and some had no reaction. It was whether they didn't have a problem with it, or they didn't care at all.

"The next thing is the attendance. This year will be a tight year because your field trip will be a very good help to your academics. The principal thought it was better if the trip was to be more educating so that the teachers wouldn't have a hard time in teaching, especially that this semester will be short because of some important holidays. I'm saying this only once, attendance is a must!"

This time all the people in the room groaned and wined. Naturally, they thought of the field trip as something to look forward to for rest and enjoyment. With so much pressure the school was putting on their shoulders, anyone would want to have a break. Listening to boring babbling was surly something they would despise but even the worst students, (bullies, etc.) would want to pass the quarter.

Mr. Mikami again called their attention, used to his students. Being with them for a month and a half was enough. He raised his right hand and began talking once again. "I know it sucks but consider all the free time you would have after that. There will be no classes for about three consecutive days and you could go and enjoy. And also, after this month would be your High School fair and what more to look up to is the prom. Now, the fair is also something we have to discuss, but later. Now, I will show you the partner assignments."

Emiko squinted as he said that. She didn't want to see who her partner would be because she knew she wouldn't be satisfied with any of them. She closed her eyes and prayed it wouldn't be anyone part of Naraku's gang and it was someone who was comfortable to be with.

She heard gasps, some happy some sad. She heard whispers and her excitement grew. Emiko opened her eyes to see the room in amazement, some eyes wide open, some were closed. She checked her name on the white piece of paper taped on the board and exhaled, not even knowing she had held her breath.

She looked at Kagome who was diagonally in front of her and she looked back. Being partners with an old friend wouldn't be that bad, would it? Kagome smiled half-heartedly and Emiko smiled back in the same manner. There were things to be settled.

OOOOOOO

Mr. Mikami called all his students and told them to enter the bus already. He counted them as they went in, surprised on how many showed up this time. The last few out of town trips were only attended by three students, nerds to be exact. They were the only ones who were conscious enough about their grades, and no one could blame the others either. The other locations were way out of the "cool map."

Almost all of them had already settled down, talking whether to their seatmates or to whoever was behind them like a pack of little rabbits. It was a good thing the weather didn't destroy their moods or things could get worse. Naraku's gang was pretty sad about their partners, except for Touya who was sitting beside a beautiful lass. He was flirting, no doubt, and she was falling into his grasp.

Emiko wasn't in the bus yet when Mr. Mikami started roll calling and Kagome was a little worried. Though they were not talking, she was still her friend and nothing could change that, especially a group of bullies who were born to torment people's lives. She looked around and outside the window to check if she was coming, but there was no sign of her.

"Ishikawa, Emiko?" Mikami-sensei called out. When no one answered, everyone started to make a fuss about it. Emiko was a bright girl who managed to keep her grades high, why wasn't she here? Was she going to miss out on something this important?

Mr. Mikami walked through the narrow path of the bus to Kagome's seat and looked at her. "She is supposed to be your partner isn't she, Ms. Higurashi?"

Kagome nodded not knowing where this was going. She gulped. Maybe Mr. Mikami thought she had something to do with her missing.

"Would you happen to know where she is?"

Kagome shook her head. "Emiko hasn't said anything about missing the trip, and if she did she would have informed someone," she said nervously. Only if they were talking.

"Well we can't go if she is not here yet. She paid for the trip and her money would come to a waste if we would leave her. However, we can't delay the whole trip if one girl is missing-"

"Correction, sir," said Touya suddenly. "Kagura's not here either. She said she would be coming."

Horrified looks resulted as he said her name. It was like she was the devil herself, though she had just come to the school three days before. Kagome was even more worried. What if they were together somewhere? Who knows what Kagura could do to Emiko especially that Kagura was someone who wouldn't care if she would torture someone new.

Kagome raised her hand for attention. Mr. Mikami, who also had the same weird face as the others, looked at Kagome right away.

"I'll go look for her, sir. Maybe she just got lost in the school grounds," she said standing up.

"And Kagura?"

Sesshomaru stood up but looked away. "I'll go."

OOOOOOOO

Kagome felt uneasy walking with Inuyasha's brother, though she knew he paid no attention to her at his side. She looked beside her and admired him for a while, walking gracefully with poise, like a model would do when on stage. He kept his gaze straight and serious, yet calm and composed. Really. He was Inuyasha's opposite. That guy walked like a tough guy, even though he was practically the opposite. His shoulders were always in large movement, his back hunched and his expression annoyed. Sometimes Kagome could just wonder why they came to be brothers, or even half.

They turned to another deserted hallway. So far, it was the fifth they had walked into, and yet no sign of the two yet. Kagome felt more awkward as she started to walk ahead. The silence was poisonous.

"Hey, thanks for looking for Emiko with me," she said, feeling so courageous so suddenly. The man behind her could hospitalize her in a jiffy, but she knew he wouldn't do so. Yet.

After a decade of silence, Sesshomaru finally spoke, as if it took a long time to analyze what he intended to spill out. "I didn't."

The raven haired girl inwardly smiled. She knew he did, deep inside. The way his eyes sparkled proved that he cared for her, even just a bit. Something really different was transforming inside him, like he were mutant. And surly, the change was good. Maybe Emiko could be a tool to keep peace with Naraku's gang. If she could survive them longer.

Another turn. Kagome was getting irritated with every step she took. It seemed like a century looking for those two, yet only three minutes have passed. She looked once again to her left, where she saw Sesshomaru with the same expression marked on his face. She sighed hard and just as she was about to say, "Let's give up," she noticed two silhouettes in the shadows of the lockers, one was evidently facing her and the other had it's back turned. Kagome quickened her pace and she wished those two figures were Kagura and Emiko or so help her.

Kagura leaned forward, her nose almost touching Emiko's. Her fierce glare was threatening, almost able to burn someone's flesh out. It was obvious that she wasn't in such a pleasant mood, and Emiko was so unfortunate she was the one who Kagura picked on today. Truth be told, the raven haired bully had always wanted to torment "the new girl" and her job was almost completed.

"The famous Ishikawa, aren't you?" she said circling her. Emiko could do nothing but stare, slightly nodding. "I've heard a lot about you, from Akira, from Naraku and from my dear Sesshomaru." She had stressed the name Sesshomaru so hard, Emiko could see her lungs explode, not noticing that she herself had held her breath, her heart beating extremely fast. She was sweating and was confused to where this could go. Hopefully not to a cat fight.

There was silence, but it lasted only for a second. "I know you're new here, and you haven't really met me. Lucky for you, Ishikawa. But I promise to really ruin your life, if it's the last thing I do."

Emiko's heart even beat faster. Another enemy, one she yearned not to have. Finally having the courage to speak, she opened her mouth only so big, just a fly could enter. "Why?" she asked shakily. She had never been so nervous in her life, not even in front of the whole Naraku gang. However, Kagura was like a boiling tea pot, something you wouldn't dare touch without protection.

She laughed evilly first, like those you see on television, then smirked. "Why you say?" she said playfully. "Because you have entered someone else's territory without permission. Just because of my absence, doesn't mean you can go break barriers."

The brunette's expression clearly told that she didn't have a clue on what Kagura was saying. Yes, she has been studying in this school for several months, but she didn't know every one of her classmate's history. Neither did she care about other people's business.

It was then when they heard loud footsteps in the hallway, nearing them. Kagura quickly glared at Emiko before saying, "You better stay away from MY Sesshomaru, or else something you wouldn't expect would come your way."

She walked a few steps away from Emiko before saying, "Something worst than Akira's stunt."

Kagura paced briskly to the end of the hallway, where she met Sesshomaru, trying hard to catch up with Kagome running. Kagura quickly took his hand and kissed his cheek then ask that they leave now. Emiko looked at them, half feeling relieved to have had Kagura walk away and half jealous of Kagura's public display of affection toward Sesshomaru. Though, if you stared really carefully, you would've seen Sesshomaru look back at Emiko, checking if she was alright. It was more of a quick turn of the head and Emiko was too preoccupied to notice.

By then, Kagome had been panting really hard, like she had run five times around the wide field. She stopped in front of Emiko and gave her a genuine smile. The brunette gleam back and indicated that they should go to the bus before anyone worried.

OOOOOOOOO

The blue bus departed from the High School parking lot fifteen minutes late then it was supposed to. Mr. Mikami was shouting some last minute reminders about the trip as his students were starting to talk excitedly. He shook his head, giving up and sat down beside their tour guide, Dennis.

Dennis was a nice guy, with flaming red hair and a matching orange beard. Actually, he looked a little familiar to Emiko but she just couldn't point on where she had seen him. Every now and then he sprouted a joke, no one really paid attention but when someone started laughing, the whole bus laughed as well. Emiko was having fun as well, she and Kagome were now back on the path of friendship, and she was relieved.

Inuyasha and Sango were partners and they were seated behind Kagome and Emiko, fighting from time to time, but then calmed down by the two seated in front. Things were getting better and Emiko couldn't have had a day better.

An hour passed and mellow music filled the bus and everyone was quiet. Well, except for a little whispers that went along the pairs. Kagome and Emiko were one of them.

"Hey Kagome," whispered Emiko. She caught her seatmate's attention almost instantly. Kagome turned to her then raised her brows as if to say, "What?"

The brunette sighed before saying something. "Who is Kagura anyway?"

Kagome tried to look away but then was trapped in the strings of Emiko's pleading stare. She was avoiding that question since they had boarded the bus but could not stand to lie or evade it any longer. However, before she could explain, her mate had done the narrating.

"Kagura was a close friend to both me and Sesshomaru since our days of childhood," he said. Emiko turned to him and saw that he was trying hard to be calm at the subject by closing his eyes but it was evident in his tone that he was lonely. "Actually, she was my best friend until she got closer to my brother in the one month I was gone for a camping trip. When I got home, she was there, instantly avoiding me and obviously flirting with Sesshomaru. It was when things got worse. She admitted her hidden devotion for Sesshomaru to almost everyone she knew and even asked her parents, who had a great relationship with mine, to make them fiancées. Then, when she knew Sess and I had a bad history, she began backstabbing, tormenting and even discriminating me and my appearance.

"But my respect stayed constant, only until she had crossed the limit. Kagome, at junior high, was the student I was already courting. Kagura knew that, of course, she has the most sources, spies to be exact. She did something... something up to now I cannot forgive."

He paused for a long time that it seemed he wasn't going to continue. So all the bad things Kagura had done both before and now were all because of her great, but stupid love for Sesshomaru, who had not showed even the slightest emotion toward her. It was silly, yes. Crazy even. Who would ever be so foolish to ditch your best friend for someone who wouldn't even match to the traits of an acquaintance.

Inuyasha had said something more, but Emiko barely listened, caught in the trace of seeing both Sesshomaru and Kagura together. Portraits of the silver haired devil crossed her mind, their last meeting caused intense pain in her heart. She had felt rejection and wondered if Inuyasha had experienced the same. Silent tears built themselves in her eyes as she looked out the window, seeing many teenagers walking on the street. Surely, it was Saturday and people were doing almost everything with their friends or family. Emiko envied the happy gleam on their faces, one thing she couldn't flash so genuine.

Everyone wanted to be happy, and so did she. She wanted to escape, everything happening or everything that had happen. She wanted to forget, take revenge or even love. Escape. Yes. Something that seemed preposterous, impossible. Yet is was something everyone yearned to accomplish. It seemed so far, yet it was nearest to her heart.

------------------------------------------------------

A/N: I know it's a little short, but it'll have to do. I've got a lot more in mind and I pray I can write it all down the way I picture it. Please, I beg that you be patient with me and please review. Thanks lots!!!!

Smile! Ü


	12. Vengeance

AC: I'M TERRIBLY SORRY FOR THE TREMENDOUSLY LONG UPDATE! I've really been busy with so much activities but expect to see me update more frequently now (that's a good sign!) thank you to all those who reviewed by the way! now... just read and review!

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine... none of the cute anime are... (though I wish they would be! p)

Chapter 11- Vengeance

They arrived at Serenade Park just before lunch. They ate before they had a tour around. It was a fairly nice place, frankly speaking, with tourists surrounding the place where a lot of Sakura trees grew and a seemingly magical lake was laid upon the ground like a long silk blanket. The air was humid, the trees were impassive and bare. Winter was nearing, but exams approached first.

The history of the park wasn't so hard to grasp, just a woman named Sakura who died because she sacrificed her life for her lover who turned out to be the enemy instead. She died of being surrounded by a few rebels. That's why a lake bordered the place of Cherry Blossoms.

Emiko sighed and sat under the shade of one of the trees. She noticed Kagome and the rest approaching and she smiled slightly at the thought they were in speaking terms again. This day had been a hectic one, and she was looking forward to resting in the cabin allotted for their class tonight.

So far, it had been an ok experience as well, with no major turbulence, just Kagura who was sending glares at her now and then as if Emiko were to lung at Sesshomaru and steal him any second now.

'Speaking of the devil,' she thought sourly as the brunette looked at her side, 'here she is now, with her servant puppet following her around, of course.'

It was very different of her to speak with such abhorrence but Kagura being the reason for it, it was sensible. Emiko didn't notice she was staring at Naraku's gang passing by until Sesshomaru himself looked at her for a second. Shifting her gaze, she felt her heart skip a beat. Why, though?

Suddenly, Kagome sat beside her and smiled. "You know, Emi-chan," she said starting the discussion as the others settled themselves around the two, "I've been thinking lately."

"Of what?" asked the innocent brown haired junior.

"Of what had been happening recently of course," Kagome replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The look her friend gave her, however, said she was utterly confused.

"She means about your trouble with Touya," Sango piped up, getting a little irritated of her slow grasp of the subject. Emiko gave a small, 'Ah', saying she got it. Miroku imitated her with wide incorruptibility, getting a lump on the head from Sango. He looked at her with sadness but she ignored it completely.

"I don't have problems with him," Emiko muttered softly. "It's Kagura I have a misunderstanding with."

Kagome drew a large breath and exhaled it all. "Emiko, don't tell me you've already forgiven him for almost ending your life. I, mean, he's one of the people involved in all of this mess and one of the reasons why your year had started with a complete setting of disaster!"

Sango nodded and Miroku did too. Inuyasha stayed expressionless.

"Then, what do you propose we do?"

"Easy," replied Kagome. "Revenge."

Emiko stared at her for a while. Kagome seemed out of character lately. How could someone like her plan such things? Maybe Inuyasha had a sort of bad influence on her.

"Bu-but we can't just go walking up to their gang and punch them or something. If you'd forgotten, all of us put together doesn't even match the strength of one of them," she said pessimistically.

Sango kneaded her forehead. "We're not stupid to go do that, Emi-chan. Goodness! Could you try to think of something better, something that suits them? I'm sure a punch wouldn't do."

Emiko closed her emerald orbs and thought but no matter how good she was in her academics, she never excelled in troublemaking.

"Why don't we spread some horrible gossip about them?" Miroku suggested out of the blue.

"Only gay people thinks of that. Besides, they could easily die down the fuss, they have power more that the principal could ever attain!" Sango commented.

"How about bombing their cabin room?" implied Kagome.

"Too violent. Plus, that's against school rules. We're still on a field trip, remember? Also, many innocent students would die. No." Sango took a long pause before adding her own recommendation, "What if we let loose rats and other disgusting pests inside their room?"

Emiko shrieked. "Eck! Where would we get those?"

"Good point."

They thought for what seemed like hours but no punishment they could think was suitable, on the school board of rules and was simple enough to make here.

"All of you probably never planned revenge before," Inuyasha said and everyone turned to him in revelation. He had not spoken for a while and they thought he was merely uninterested in the subject. "Because all of your plans STINK like hell!"

Kagome, Sango and Miroku gave an offended look.

"Well then, Mr. I'm-an-expert, why don't you come up with an _excellent_ plan I'm sure would work. If it isn't so hard for you to," Sango snapped, most offended.

Inuyasha looked surprisingly confident. "F.Y.I, I've already come up with and _excellent_ plan while the lot of you were babbling," he said smirking. "All I need are these few things: rotten eggs, a large amount of mud, uncooked meat, a couple of Durians, a large bowl that would hold everything and bird's poo."

The rest looked disgusted. Inuyasha took no notice of it and continued.

"We're making the tastiest soup for our guests."

000000000000000

Sesshomaru was bored to death. For the whole day, their group did nothing but backbite each student, commenting on looks, etc, etc. He looked tiredly at Kagura, who sat close beside him, laying her hand protectively on his shoulder. Then, almost naturally, his gaze fell on his half-brother, his girlfriend and Emiko, who were sitting under the shade of a fairly large tree. He stared at the brown haired lass more intently and more often, and he found himself slowly missing the fun and the company she gave him, even if they were all unintentional.

Kagura took a large amount of notice in this as she tried to catch her fiancée's attention over and over. He did not look at her one bit, of course, and she was angered because of it.

"Hey Akira, what do you plan next on Ishikawa, by the way?" she asked knowing it would catch the silver haired teen's attention in a snap. And it did for Sesshomaru was now staring at her closely, mild curiosity flickering in his eyes, wondering why the hell was she bringing this up.

Touya shrugged and smiled. "She's a pretty girl but not exactly my type. I dunno. Maybe another trick would suit my pleasure." He laughed bitterly and the others followed his lead. Sesshomaru, on the other hand did not think it was funny.

"Why?" he asked breaking their fun laughter.

"Why _what_?" replied Kagura, annoyance tainting her voice. They all looked at him with irritation.

"Why do you keep on tormenting her when she has done nothing to deserve that kind of punishment?"

Touya was about to answer when Naraku stood up with a frown on his face. "Let us not forget, my friend, that this started all _because of you_. You were the one she had injured."

"Not purposely," said Sesshomaru monotonously but found himself rather talkative today.

"_Don't_-_you_-_defend_-_that_-_disgusting_-_wannabe_-_in_-_front_-_of-me_," snarled Naraku. "That girl has no right to have gained your trust, Sess. After that incident with Rin, I thought you pledged not to let anyone enter your heart."

"What does that mean?" The golden orbed sixteen-year old male was starting to get at the edge of his patience.

Naraku laughed, one that was most unpleasant to hear. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed. For all we know you're falling for that-that bitch!"

Sesshomaru said nothing, his lips were pursed into a small frown barely noticeable. And before he could do anything else, Naraku had said something else.

"No. A _major_ correction with that sentence." He paused so that the situation could be absorbed to the last emotion. "You _are_ already _in love_ with her."

Sesshomaru growled. "No. I am not." With that, he slapped Kagura's hand off his shoulder hardly and she stumbled down the platform where they were sitting. He gave a last glare and then walked away, sprinting when he thought he was out of sight.

_No. I swore I would never fall in love again._

000000000000000000

Emiko was a little hesitant in doing what Inuyasha had planned but the rest thought it was an amazing scheme. She was now alone, under the same tree, feeling an inexpressive breeze pass by her. In a distance, she saw Inuyasha's half-brother, if she was not mistaken, running toward her. Her eyes widened and she felt her heart jump. He calmed down and walked when he was nearer to her and composed himself, the usual figure of a well-poised Taisho coming her way. He did not stop to acknowledge her presence nor did he even look at her direction. He just passed by, like the wind blowing on her face.

Little did Emiko know that he glanced back when he knew she wouldn't notice anymore, wrestling with his unidentified feelings and a warm emotion entering his body.

0000000000000000000

It was nearly sunset when Mikami-sensei led them toward their cabin, putting extra effort in saying something about their curriculum the following day when no one really paid attention. Their backs were aching and their feet were killing them. All they wanted was a good nights rest without thinking even a bit about the pile of lecture they would receive tomorrow before they went home.

The rooms could accommodate seven people each with roommates of their own option to avoid any misunderstandings. Joey Angler, a kind but stupid seventeen-year old third year and Massie Care, whom Miroku shamelessly flirted with shared a room with Kagome and the rest since they were pretty close to friends.

Inuyasha was out in the balcony preparing the 'things' they needed for their 'revenge'.

"What died here?" Massie asked as she opened the door to the balcony. She pinched her nose to avoid the awful smell from entering her lungs.

"You will, if you don't get out," replied a grumpy Inuyasha who squatted in front of the container was near to death by staying out and close to the dreadful things he was mixing together. Massie ran back in the house and screamed.

"What a wimp," he muttered as he continued to mix things up, interrupted by another visitor.

"If you want to live, you better stay inside." He turned to see Emiko, looking out in the distance, ignoring him. Inuyasha sighed and continued his work.

"Almost done?" Emiko asked half sounding excited and half sounding anxious. Inuyasha could clearly make out her worried tone, anyhow.

He stopped working and sat down fully, leaning on the railings of the balcony. "Yes, it's almost through." Emiko said nothing but merely stared at the almost finished products. Inuyasha saw a frown slowly forming on her face. "You're not really up to this, are you?"

Again, she did not reply.

"I knew it."

Emiko released a long breath. "You see, I'm new here and I'm not really familiar with the 'rules' the students make. Every school has them, and every school is different. And since I don't know them, I'm not quite sure of the consequences of each of my actions, you see. I don't really want to hurt anyone if it means I get to gain more enemies."

The younger Taisho stared at the woman before him for a moment. She was such a beautiful lady, both inside and out and if Kagome had never appeared in his life, he would've fallen for this one, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself. Her eyes showed that only one thing, however, was in her way of pursuing this.

"My brother really has a knack of stealing hearts, doesn't he?" he asked, laughing slightly.

"Huh?"

"No one really knows him that much and yet everyone can't take their eyes off him. He has a rather large impact on the ladies, however. And no matter how many negative things I can say about him, our relationship is different and my opinion will never change a woman's heart."

Emiko looked at him with more puzzlement.

"Emiko, I don't have to be a genius to know that you have even the slightest feeling for my half-bro."

Despite the strangeness of what Inuyasha had said, Emiko managed a small smile, choosing not to be defensive about the subject any longer. The boy in front of her was a friend, after all, and she could trust him even with her life.

"And, you know, it's really up to you to decide if we should continue this thing." He gestured toward the bowl were bird's dirt floated on top.

The brunette thought for a while but then shook her head. "No. I think we should go on with what was planned. A small favor though." Her face grew pink and hot and Inuyasha had a feeling what she was about to ask. He nodded, telling her to say whatever she was about to.

"Please leave him out of this."

00000000000

After a rather tasty dinner, Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Kagome and Emiko sneaked out into the garden, where they were pretty much sure Naraku's gang would be heading after they picked up a few things in their room. They set their materials, the large bowl with a foul smelling goo in it perched on a tree branched, covered temporarily by a cardboard to avoid the smell from blurting their plan.

Inuyasha was stationed on the branch and was assigned to tip the container while Miroku and Sango were behind the bushes giving him the right signal. Kagome and Emiko pretended to be talking on the balcony of their room but was really spying.

A few minutes passed and Inuyasha was getting more and more impatient. He was about to shout to Miroku to call everything off when he heard an all too familiar high pitched laugh and he hid himself carefully once again behind the leaves of the tree. He watched as Naraku's group slowly came into the garden, some with beer bottle while the others smoked. He remembered Emiko's words a while ago and was happy to see that his brother was no where to be found.

Their target was only a few meters away and it seemed that they were not going to move from that spot for a while. Inuyasha gritted his teeth. Now he had to wait for them to walk under the tree for him to be able to pour the liquid on them. But when he saw Miroku with something in his hands, he smirked.

A raccoon made its way to Kagura and she screamed loudly and ran to the shade of the tree Inuyasha was perched on. He was ready to push the bowl when he saw a glimpse of Kagome mouthing the words, 'Not yet' and he restrained himself to follow her.

Shortly, however, the group walked to the aid of Kagura and when they were all under the Sakura tree, Miroku gave his signal, which was a supposedly 'wolf's howl,' and Inuyasha put all his strength into pushing the heavy bowl.

_Swack! _The bowl hit the floor, its contents flying and landing on their targets. Kagura screamed once again while the others nearly puked with the smell. Naraku looked up the tree but when he did, Inuyasha had already jumped on the tree beside him. The raven haired bully shouted some commands while Kagura helplessly cried saying something about soiling her beautiful hair. Touya sat on the ground cursing madly and the rest resisted jumping into the lake for a bath.

_Mission accomplished._

000000000000000

AC: hehe... couldn't resist revenge, could i? anyway, sorry if it was a little short and Sesshomaru was a bit OOC. I hoped you liked it anyway. please review! constructive criticism is welcome, just don't be too hard on me. again, I apologize for the long update... if I get a lot of reviews for this chapter, I might update earlier! .)

6


End file.
